stone called Besouart which they say goats breed in their stomacks The Turky-stone mine is not far from thence 't is a very amorous Town both men and women thinking of nothing but their pleasures and coolness during the heats fruit is there very plentiful most excellent of all sorts Casbin is another big and Royal Town well inhabited then there is Siras the most delicious and most pleasing of all Persia which affords you fair gardens fountains and other refreshments during the great heats there are many stately and good horses some imagine this Town to be built upon the ruines of old Persepolis the City-royal of the ancient Persian Monarchs scituate near the Araxes now called Bradamir and not far from thence are to this day seen the admirable ruines of that famous pallace of the Persian Kings which Alexander caused to be burnt to please his Thais of Siras more hereafter Going on our Journey we went from place to place without keeping a streight rode to put off our commodities at a better rate drawing right upon the Cusistan of that side we found all the keyes or passages of Persia bad and difficult for which reason the Turk effected not his design in those parts we found it a strange Countrey and all that part of Persia but a vaste solitude unpeopled and very dangerous travelling The Mountains were inhabited by harbarous or insolent persons then we met with great fens or bogs very deep and forrests impenetrable which renders the passages so uncertain and arduous that the merchants have much ado to find them although they are well guided and have often travelled them when you have met with the guide that undertakes to conduct from one kingdom to another he must give account to the Belierbeit or Governour what persons he carries out of his dominions for you may not return into the same country without producing good license and discharge with a certificate or note of the places you have travelled which is a laudable order of the Princes for having such a care both of strangers and of his own Subjects that he wills and endeavours their free and secure trading in all his Territories We went towards Vacharin to enter upon Tartary and raught unto the Province of Samarcant where is a Town bears the same name famous for having been the seat of Tamberland the Great so much mentioned in our Histories these two or three hundered yeares We being sensible of the hardship and inconveniencies in travelling further this way besides the best experienced Merchants disswaded us from it for we discovered that that Countrey coyne was not of any value being neither gold nor silver but of some other base metall and some of the barke of trees as Marke Pole remarkes of Tartarye Li. 2. Cap. 18. we turned back again into Persia from thence by great dayes journey to the happy Arabia and Ormus we now had associated our selves to a jolly company of Merchants and my companion privately acquainted me he had resolved to see the east Indies and that if I were unwilling to take so long a journey he would recommend me to some French Merchant at Ormus that should safely reconduct me into Europe I willingly resolved to go along with him or whither else he would but not to leave him this resolution taken we came back thorough many Towns of Persia as Sorismell twelve leagues thence Sinderate upon the river Adalout where we were lodged at a Renegades that gave us good entertainment his house was built halfe upon the water the Armenian Merchant that desired to go thorough Pegu to buy rubies resolved Cassis to passe thorough Indostan we advised together to regain our way and to escape the excises or payments are paid towards Samarcant and Corozan we had much recreation in this voyage CHAP. XIII Of the Kings of Persia their Power pleasures of the Sophy Hali and of some Sects of Religious Pericans of the antient Mages and other Officers of the Kingdome THe King of Persia is one of the greatest and most Powerfull Princes of the World as well in the extent of Territory treasure and riches as in number of men of warr he can ordinarily set forth a hundered thousand Cavalry and of infantry foure score thousand The state of his Court is most ample and Magnificant his people warlike with a great number of generous Nobility the King is served and attended by the greatest Lords of the Land He is Cheif or Head of the Religion or his Church throughout his whole Empire and leades a very lascivious and voluptuous life keepes many women Royally clad he uses the most exquisite perfumes not in his apparrell and furniture only but also in his meate he weares Jewells of an inestimable value and he hath leave to marry as many wives as he pleases as the Grand Seignior hath He keepes Seleris persons well qualified whose duties are to travell thorough the whole Empire to see and chuse the fairest and rarest women having leave to enter all places nay their very bed-chambers to view them in what postures they please but chiefely to know whether they snore or stir much in their sleepe or whether they sleepe quietly and having made choice of them as they ought to be qualified they carry them in a littar to the Princes service and their parents are much honoured and esteemed When the King hath seen them and hath chosen which please him most he presents the others to the greatest Lords and favourites of his Court which are much happier then those remain with the Prince for so great store he hath of them that few of them have the Honour to enjoy his Person they are kept or guarded by Eunuches as they are in Turky Those are most in his favour the King takes often a hunting with him they are not seen of any although they can see others he goes a hunting as to the Wars his men carry severall sorts of Armes as bowes and arrowes cymiters axes marching in rank carefully guarding their Kings Person whom they adore as a God Their Military discipline is very exact and they suffer much in their exercises they eate nothing untill their chase be ended then they drive heards of savage beasts before the Concubines litters to recreate and delight them killing those the Ladies have most minde unto sometimes they cause of them to be taken alive and restore liberty to the rest this Countrey is fuller of great and pleasant Forrests then all the rest of the east The Prince is called Sophy rather for his Religion then for any other reason he maintains the Law of Hali son in Law to Mahomet and therefore weares a woolen cap and a red turban flock't with white from whence he is called Sophy which signifies a red flock't cap and Caselbas signifies read head although some would have it an Arabick word and to signifie a man purer in Religion then the rest They
of souldiers her faire Structures many sword knife-cuttlers other expert Artists in steele who give a delicate temper with muske and Amber-greese There I saw a Marseillian Cutler who spent near a hundred Zequins in forging one blade which was by many admired I met him ten yeares after at Paris he told me he sold the same blade to Collo Dornano for three hundered crownes Damas is scituate in a faire plaine her soyle well watered and fruitfull with plenty of Gardens and Orchards round about her she is surrounded with two mountains the one called Amon the other Sahanir There are many grots and caves as 't is said formerly inhabited by the Christians in time of persecution there is one can contain 4000. persons and without doubt are fairer and larger than those at present to be seen at Saragosa in Sicily towards the East there is a lake 7. or 8. leagues about through which run two sweet streams the one called Aman or Amma which runs by the foot of the wall towards the South the other Farfar and threds through the middle of the Town she is also adorned with many fountains the water being brought by pipes from Chrysoran The houses are built of the Moresco modell with galleries do almost cover the whole streets as at Aleppo The Town is strong and begirt with good ditches well flank'd and man'd in time of war A Bassa or Governour keeps it for the Turk who hath a strong life-guard of horse The Suburbs are greater and more populous than the Town There are twenty thousand Mulberry planters for the trade of silk and an infinite number of cutlers and other Artists in steel and iron On the East there stands a Tower where you may yet see the Flour de luces the arms of France which must have been set there when the French were Lords of the Holy land there in a little enclosure is to be seen Zacharies tomb Father to St. John Baptist a place of great veneration the Mahometans themselves celebrating the feast day with solemn rejoycings they yet shew the place where S. Paul persecuting Christians fell from his horse and the place of his imprisonment and where he was let down in a basket They shew you the place where 't is said Cain killed his Brother Abel There is an Alablaster mine affords them great store of fair vessels and other peices From thence commonly are set forth the Caravans or land convoys for Medina and Meca and to many other places of Arabia and the east The Towne is farr fairer without then within by reason of the commodious scituation and beautifull aspect but the streets are not so well contrived the Market place or Baiar is ample and faire built with Piatzza's as at Bolonia most of the houses in Town are served with fountains derived from Chrysorrhoas the graffs are planted with Mulbery trees There is a Citadell said to be built by a Florentine Renegado who then commanded it While we staid at Damas one day walking the Market place we saw an Executioner surrounded with a great crowd of people upon a tall horse and dragging a Malefactor tyed with a rope by the leggs to the place of Execution and enquiring the reason of this Justice we were told he was a Christian and had killed a judge of the Country This poore sufferer as we since understood by attestations and letters he carried about him in a box was a Frenchman and born in Saintonge his name was Roubie returning from Jerusalem where he received the Cross from the hands of the Patriarch and passing thorough this Town met a judge who according to the insolent custome of the sworne enemies to Christians with one blow struck Roubie at his feet which for the present he seemed to take very patiently dissembling the affront with resolution nevertheless when opportunity should serve cruelly to revenge it he absented himself for three whole yeares and in that time having perfected himselfe in the Turkish Language disguised in the habit of a Dervis a sort of Religious in great esteeme amongst them he weares a Cimitere by his side and a dagger hanging at his girdle to see the commands of their Prophet Nabi strictly observed this supposed Dervis begirt with his hanger returned to Damas and assisted dayly in Court the judge his enemy whose diligence to justice was held a good Omen this he practised for three whole years and more not omitting one audience in all that time dayly expecting an opportunity to revenge himselfe Upon a time hearing the judge give Sentence against an Orphan who was sued for some inheritance suddenly stept up to him and with a mortall wound on the forehead laid him dead at his feete took his place and said that the judgement newly pronounced against the Orphan was unjust and that it was fit to repeate the Evidence which without the least interruption in respect to the supposeâ— Dervis was immediately done by Councill on both sides and a Herauld openly declared that he thought it Justice the Orphan should enjoy one moity of the land in question this was spoken to the satisfaction of the Auditory but especially of the Dervis who gave his opinion and approbation in few words and at the same instant judgement was pronounced to the great content of those were cast by the former sentence his body was carried home to his house and the Murtherer highly commended for his great act of Justice Reubie satisfied in his revenge by degrees retired himself to Tripoli where by misfortune being reproached by a certain countrey-man of his who had seen him in the habit he inconsiderately confest it and the reason that moved him so to do and some Turks hearing of it they presently caused him to be apprehended and upon search found uncircumcised he was brought back to Dama where he was thus arraigned and executed and his body cast to the dogs to be devoured Not farre from Damas and the Jordan springs is the town of Philippa whence the woman was that our Saviour cur'd of the flux Belinas sometime Dan Paneas or Caesarea it lyes not far from Libanus and between her and Gallilean or Tiberiade Sea is a great vale where is a Lake swell'd with the snow that falls from the Mount Libanus through this Lake runs the Jordan and is called Es-mal-maron formerly the waters of Merac there did Joshuah overthrow the Kings of Chananee the Lake is in Summer almost drye and from thence unto Jope is a very fruitful country called Charon Towards the Tiberiade Sea there is another vale very hollow between two hills where the Sun is hardly ever seen This hill rises not far from the Sea side and reaches to Sidon or Sayette and of the other side they both reach the Arabian hills near Damas and there lyes the Country formerly called Palmyrena CHAP. III. Of the Deserts of Arabia of Spirits or Apparitions there of the Sea
of Sodome of the Hills of Sina and Oreb and the three Arabia's AFter some few dayes stay we left Damas and passed through Benin from thence we came to Macharaib or Macherib and Masarib three dayes journey from Damas 't is a small town of Palestina not very pleasant formerly called Misor one of the Levies Cities sometime belonging to King Balsan near the torrent of Arnon in the tribe of Reuben At our arrivall there having discharged our Chioas or guide which cost us six Duckets a man my companion Cassis took a little boy for his guide and brought me first to a fair house in the Turkish quarter and inhabited by a Turk instead of going to the place inhabited by Christians which I not a little wondred at because the difference in Religion breeds a discrepance between them and us as I was entring the house a Turkish Dame well fashioned with a child in her armes briskly asked me in the Syriack tongue Achibi Nazarini che senti achelect Christian what do you here I streight made answer Mnaar Jenesay ana cardas amisi antina that my Camarade was within to speak with some body but she with indignation thrust me out of the Porch young as I was I had the wit to present her with a pair of corall pendants which she liked well and said in her language Thou art a good lad but the other is a knave that gave me nothing and as I was retiring my self she courteously invited me in where I saw my companion take some small things out of his bagge which he presented to several women who had every one of them a sucking child at their brest they wore rings in their ears of twice hand compasse richly set with Diamonds and Pearls every one of them made choice of some Venetian curiosity which though of small value they set great esteem upon as we were thus entertaining these Ladies in came a grave Moore Counpayniors brother who upon notice that two strangers were entered his house came presently home fir'd with jealousie a passion most of them are infected with as was easily seen in the rage and distraction of his countenance but after he perceived his brother he ran to his embraces with many caresses took me by the hand in French said we were most welcome and told us he was the Renegado Murat called Silvester compelled thereto by force but resolved to leave Turkisme and become a Christian again as we were after many complements invited us to eat then a cloth of leather delicately dressed being spread upon the ground they brought in boyled mutton rice and their melted butter called Manteque we made a good dinner drinking Ragui their common drink composed of water figges and Dates and is a sort of strong water for wine they have not any At dinner I seriously observed the Renegado Murat a man of graceful personage well proportioned and taller by the head then my fellow-traveller and nothing like him and I observed women with what content they listened to our manner of discourse At dinner the two brothers discoursed of their affaires and design in Arabick conceiving I understood them not but during my eight moneths residence at the Grand Caire I had learnt enough to understand their discourse and heard my fellow relate this shipwrack and the manner thereof and that he came to crave his assistance to recover his losses the Renegado told him that in few dayes he should take a journey for Meka and that he could procure him so many Cherafs or Duckets by the month and at his returne from that voyage he would give him a summe of money if he returned not himselfe home with him to this my camarade made answar he had undertaken to conduct me to Jerusalem and that it would be a shame to him to leave me so young the Renegado replyed that I should go along with them and that he would furnish me with a Camell for the journey and that coming back we should see Jerusalem All this I understood and though not pleased to see my intention crossed yet I durst not take the least notice for feare they should put some trick upon me considering they might leave me behind or sell me or exchange me for some peeces of wine which in those Countreys is both rare and deare sold onely by the Apothecaries for the sick or by Christian Merchants Thus I heard them advise how to be rid of me but at last pittying my tender age they resolved to know my will and then my Camarade freely spoke his brothers intention and that in that journey we should see the great Desart the Mount Sinai and Oreb the Townes of Medina La Meyur and many other remarkable places and that returning we should see Jerusalem I shewed my selfe most willing to what they should resolve finding no other way to save my selfe and upon my fellowes promise coming back to shew me the place I so much desired Thus resolved they provided six fat sheep prize two ducats together with other meat which they boyled in a great chaldron till the flesh came from the bones then put flesh only with a good proportion of salt butter in the same Chaldron and fryed it well and potted it up for our journey This we loaded upon two Cammells with store of onyons bisket three large bottells of strong water with others full of fresh water and other necessaries and my camarade and self had a camell betwixt us Having staid eight dayes at Macherib we set forth with the Caravane composed of great numbers of Merchants and of above twenty thousand camells loaden with all sorts of wares and commodities reaching two leagues in length The Captain of the Town accompanied us with five hundered horse unto the desert but further he could not go by reason of the heat of the sands that burne their horses hoofes and founder them and besides in the desert there is extreme scarcity of water which we carried along with us in leather vessells to make use of in the desert of Arabia where very scarcely any fresh is found We crost a part of the Holy Land leaving Jerusalem on the right hand with a very sensible regret to be within a dayes journey of that place and not to see the City The nights we rested in our Tents which we pitched with ease fastning wooden poles thorough the middle with ropes which by the helpe of pegs struck into the ground susteined the rest drawing towards the south into some vales in search of fresh water we perceived upon an eminent peece of land the ruines of some Towns and a little lower a Lake called Sodom and Gomorra or the Dead Sea anciently called the Lake Asphaltite which to this day doth witness the just judgement of God we tasted some of this water which although very brackish yet refresht us for the present From thence after seven or eight houres rest we took our way thorough the
company being composed of persons of divers interests according to their affaires there arose some dispute but at last 't was determined we should go by Gayuelle whither we had seven long dayes journey to avoyd the danger of robbers who are very infestuous to those parts as also the Tigars whereof there is store throughout all Ethiopia and so at length gaine Zuama or Bagamidri where we left our vessels and part of our goods Then we travailed along the river through diverse wild and disinhabited places being ever ready upon our guard for robbers that might way-lay us to ransack what we had and so crossing Areal and Chaussabir two Provinces we met with Heardsmen of exceeding bignesse who kept tame goats which furnished us with milk and cheese and venison as much as we would have for a small quantity of salt in exchange being of opinion we had given them something of high price Not long after we beheld Gazuelle and other small Townes where the greater part are Christians though they hold something of Judaism as I said before As we thought to go take our dinner at Moradar about a league from Almina a stormy wind under a cloak of thick black clouds pursued us at the heels which made us keep near our boats that if the rain should surprize us we might have shelter at hand At the instant two men and a Priest in a gray habit accosted us the Priest with his hat in his hand saluted us in Italian saying he was of Cagliari in Sardaignia and that 't was his desire to return for his Countrey whence he came into Ethiopia with a Roman Bishop who passed to the other world at Magadeli and understanding of some Italians that were travailing through Ethiopia for Egypt he had sought us out to be admitted into our company intending to take ship at Alexandria and steer the course for Italy and so for Rome The two men that were with him gave us high commendations of him assuring us he would pay well for his passage for that the Bishop had left him threescore Doublons for his voyage We made little answer but at the same time two Noblemen overtaking us in Palanquins or Littars born by slaves on their shoulders this Priest made to them and asked an alms and one of them gave him a piece of silver then presently returned to us and as familiarly as we had been acquainted all dayes of our life told us by asking one could loose nothing but the deniall At length we came to Moradar where we stayed our boats as we had often done since the losse of Monsieur de la Courbs man in hope to find the body for he had rich things about him Being at our Inne we smelt a strong sent and found 't was some musk cats this Priest carried with him which he would have trucked with us for other commodities but we were loth to be troubled with such unwholsome things There they brought us to table a dish of raw flesh well seasoned with salt and spices which was of delicate taste and an excellent meat After dinner we observed certain people looking stedfastly in a bright shining bason and asking the reason they told us they were looking to see a troop of Devils that were going to a battail that was presently to be fought We replyed if it might be without danger we should be very glad to participate with them and would content them with a piece of money which they accepted of and the Sieur de la Courb gave them what we promised Hereupon one of them cast a kind of grease upon a chafing dish of burning coals which flamed and went out again and there arose a thick smoak then they perfumed the bason and oyled it with a sort of oyl and in an instant a formidable darknesse involved us and we saw passing in the air as it were great swarms of knats not being able to discern directly what likenesse they were of we desired the Magician he would stay them and ask these Demons or hags whither they went with such celerity then renewing the fumigations and muttering I know not what incantations betwixt the teeth we saw as 't were swarms of Ants which removing on his command in imagination we saw the form of a body covered with linnen without being able to distinguish more but this Phantasme drawing near us such horrour seized us that for my part the hair of my head so started up that it threw my cap on the ground and strait a most loathsom stink as 't were of carrion filled the room this thing gabbled something which the Magician understood and told us he learnt by these demons there was a battaile at hand to be fought by the king of Barma and thither they were travelling to receive the souls of the slaughtered that they had crossed a Sea of darknesse and horrour and the confines of a land where the Sun never shone nor Creature lived and things of the like kind which this man related At last all vanished leaving a scene of such lovely trees that from thence-forward we were bewitched with no such unlucky ambition to see Diabolicall delusions But to our businesse after many daies travaile we arrived at Bagamidri where we learnt the rest of our Company who would not come along with us stayed for us at Zambera or Zambre a gentile Town upon the lake of Zuame We were thirteen dayes travelling this shore where we found many villages or hamlets but few good dwellings from Zets to Casera which are the best Towns 't is three dayes journey and from Abiari which is the Bishoprick of St. Abiblicano three more and to Cafata four we had extraordinary rains all this way which neverthelesse hindered not our journey We made five dayes from Cafate to Girat and two to Gisara in the Province of Ambian from thence in six dayes we reached to Samodera a very neat Town betwixt two Rivers and in two and a half to Cosiana where we found the Princesse of Bilibranos with eight Almadies in whose Company we reached in three dayes to Cabestane in two more to Cabesera and in a day and a halfe to Ambadara or Ambadora From thence we went to Albias or Albian a small Town but full stocked with people here we lodged at a Dragoyan merchants house who was married there and he let us want for nothing At this Town in the River were abundance of tame ducks and a number of displumed geese as likewise most part of the ducks were the rest frizeled which caused a laughter amongst us to see these poor birds so ill apparelled which some of the Town observing and amongst them some of the Consuls or Magistrates themselves called the Abiari they told us when these should come to our table they would bring us a double pleasure both in eating and sleeping and at last we understood 't was usual to pull their fowle alive to stuffe their beds with the feathers making little cases
himself to his bed whence he never rose again Thus was the good man abused by the knavish cheats To second this I shall tell you of an exploite was put upon me in this very voyage I intended for Naples to buy some horses for which purpose I had a good handsom sum of money I had taken for pearls I brought from Lisbone and sold to the Marquesse of Oraison which I had put in two bags whereof one I ever carried about me One day passing through the market Colonna I observed a Goldsmith well furnished with jewels and having cheapned a good diamond of about four or five carrats weight and a good luster by reason the Bishop of Marseills desired me to buy him one if I met with a good bargain we agreed for threescore and odd pistols which I laid down but he recanting and demanding more I withdrew my money Upon this comes in a man in good fashion his beard white and a black velvet cap and told me in private if I would buy a good diamond or other jewels he would shew me those were good and at a reasonable rate I took the man for some Senatour or person of quality and followed him though the Goldsmith pulled me by the sleeve to come into his shop again As we went along my Gentleman entertained me with discourse of severall jewels he had at his Chamber without Port Popolo at last he had brought me to a place out of all wayes near the Palle Malle by the wall side I began to suspect some mischief when I heard a Faquin by the way bid farewell such a one calling him by his name and as I was thinking to take my leave of him and go back again I was seized upon by four or five Ruffians who set a dagger to my breast and made me deliver my purse and the bag I had about me and my guide vanished so as I could see him no more In this miserable condition I came back to Rome full of shame and sadnesse and though I spoke not a word of it yet my misfortune was immediately divulged through all Rome how I had been cheated by one in such cloaths who was known and famous for such a one he was not long after apprehended and meeting me I knew him not at all having cut his hair and changed his cloathes and stoutly denyed the fact They shewed me some pieces of gold which I claimed as my own but that was all I could get Notwithstanding he was within few dayes after with two of his Comrades hanged convicted of divers other robberies Being upon return to Marseills I made a digression towards the river Genes and Malta and by reason the plague was at Martigues I could not without difficulty be admitted into Ville Franche to take a bill of health to crosse the River Genes where they are exceeding severe upon such occasions The day after I arrived coming abroad two houres before day to take fresh ayr I heard a doleful voyce coming as I thought from Capo Ferino that cryed Alas kill me not and take all I have and after some profound groanes cease The day brought the matter to light and it appears a poor man was murthered by some of Nice persons of quality and free from suspition For these people with the Castle-Frigot went aboard a Bark and having put all to the sword and pilladged sunk it but God for his just judgement permitted him who sate at helme to leap into the water and being ignorant of swimming they say a Dolphin came betwixt his legges and carried him to shore then knocking at the Castle Gate he was brought wet as he was before the Governour to whom he related that some with the Castle Frigot had boarded their vessell and used them as I told you The Governour amazed at the matter called for him who had charge of the Frigot to know to whom he had delivered it who told him that such and such had taken it without asking because he had ever allowed them the priviledge The Governour put on his clothes and went to the shore where he found his Frigot drawn on land and a boy washing away some blood which was in it for it seems one of the Bark endeavouring to escape they took him killed him and threw him into the sea The Governour quietly asked what he was doing he cunningly answered they had in the night taken a great Fish and that he was washing away the blood In the instant came he who had taken away the Frigot to give good morrow to the Governour whom the Marriner immediately knew and cryed out that was he who had done the fact whereupon the Gentleman with two others were brought to the Castle and upon triall executed two more escaped but being taken afterwards paid the same rates confessing many more murthers and vessels sunk amongst others one wherein were 22. Religious Jesuits and Capucins whom they wrapt all in a saile and cast into the sea having pilladged what they had Thence we went to the Town of Genes in company of one Alari who had brought Hawkes to the King and was going towards the Dutchy of Vrbina and being at Vay about three or four miles from Savona they would not suffer us on any conditions to passe further and of necessity we must turn our course to the mountains of Mountferrat a country pester'd with Bandits and such other in which passage we were rob'd and poor Alari lost above two thousand franks which he had in his Valice We met with many difficulties in this passage crossing through narrow passages fill'd up with snow by Alcare to Casoanta Alexandria Placenta Parma Bolonia Florence and Rome where we arrived against the canonization of some Saints I got Letters from Sieur Guileo Falio Embassadour of Malta for some of the money owing me by the Grand Master Thence we came to Naples where such a famine raigned that the women in mutiny threw stones at the Governour in his Coach the Cardinal and Sapata whose heeles saved his life Then we took a Frigot for Messina and by edict we were to take no more bread aboard then for half a day I brought halfe a crowns worth which I hid under the Planks we had been undone if it had been found and the souldiers were exact searchers we suffer'd some hardship when we had no bread to our meat yet so we passed two dayes intire and putting in at the Pouilla we could not amongst all the Fisher-men for any money buy a morsel nor could have any thing amongst them but fish which we afterwards trucked with a youth for bread he had in reserve coming to Asilla there we got bread thence to Messina through the Straight so dangerous for three or four leagues where violence of the winde cast us on the Rocks I got as well as I could to land but seeing some women left in the Bark and ready to perish I perswaded a young shoomaker to assist me nnd in
the coast of Avisa then to Mount Bacour where we sold our Camels upon condition they should carry our goods in to Aden within two leagues of that place The Red Sea from Suez to the Cape Cardafu is in the eighteenth degree in length four hundred leagues and in breadth fifty is navigable but not without great danger especially by night because 't is full of shelvy rocks reeds and Isles and by day besides the common Pilot they have a man placed upon the Mast to discover and direct the ship from Cameran 't is not so dangerous but we were forced to make this voyage by land to escape the dangers at Sea the water to my thinking was of the colour of other Sea-water both in her Superficies and bottom the name of red onely excepted which was given her by allusion to the name of King Erithreus who named it so or because of the sands which in some places are of a reddish colour The Moors call it Babar Corzum which signifies an inclosed sea the havens upon it are at Babel-Mandel which is in the twelfth degree 't is called by some the sea of Meka Arabia upon the red sea side was formerly inhabited by several people principally the Sabaeans since called the Homerites they received the Christian Faith in the dayes of the Emperour Constantius and some will have it that rather from thence then Aethiopia came Queen Saba and since Queen Candaces Eunuch At the end of this Sea in the Streights of Babel-Mandel is the town and Haven of Aden called by those of that countrey Adedoun a town of the greatest fame in all the East and one of the strongest of Arabia and of greatest importance by reason of the trade and concourse of all the Nations of the Indies Persia Tartary Arabia Aethiopia and the Levant she was formerly subject to Sequemir since conquered by the Portugais and now in the possession of the Turk on the land side stands that famous Mountaine Albacoure or Dartzira which must be travell'd over to reach hither the passage is streight and difficult defended by two strong Castles on each side of the way one from the top of the hill you discover Aden standing in a large plain her Haven is great and good butting upon the Cape Gardafu the Town is grown famous since the Portugais set footing in the East Indies for the Merchants leaving the red sea for feare of the Portugais rest here in their journy to the Indies whereas before they went throughout without landing here Here are unladen from the Indies and other places the Spices Aloes Brasil Pearles and pretious stones Myrobolan Safron Wax Steel Sugars Rice Purcelaines Linnens Quick-silver Vermillions Cottons Silks Scarlets Chamlets Musk Amber Beniamin Storax Azure and other Commodities vented in several places Here time out of mind were the Spices landed and from hence by the red sea and the Nile transported into Alexandria formerly they say that the Soudan Governour of this place was so puissant as to send an Army of thirty thousand horse and forty thousand Cammels to assist the Soudan of Egypt against the Christians and waged ordinary warre besides against the Abyssins Aden is well walled and fortified with several Castles on the East side on the North stands Bacoure which divides her from the Happy Arabia and on all other sides she is incompast with the sea Westward the sea enters the land so far through a gulf that you would think the Mountaigne were an Island the Haven is Eastward and large scituate under the foot of the Hill coming from Arabia you would take the towne to stand upon the top of the hill whereas it stands in a plain almost surrounded with the Sea guarded by a strong Block-house in a little Isle adjacent that defends the Towne and the mouth of the Haven as by the side of the Hill there are severall Forts that command those passages The opposite to Aden of this side of the Isle and streight of Babel-Mandel is in Aethiopia subject most of it to the grand Neguz with a creek of Sea and a fair Haven and the Cape called Foubical or Guardufu anciently the Promontory called Aromata from one side to the other the streight is forty thousand paces over and in the midst stands this little Island in length some two leagues the mouth is very dangerous to enter at low water by reason of Shelves Rocks and Reeds and a number of Isles of different bignesse some of them inhabited some not wee travelled most of them and the chiefest I saw was Cameran near the coast of Arabia in the fifteenth degree of Elevation fifteene miles round or thereabouts she hath plenty of fresh water and her Haven is of the continent side but two leagues off or thereabouts the Town is small but increases dayly subject to the Sequemir and inhabited by Moores On the other side in Aethiopia is Dalascia or Dalaca a faire Town inhabited by an Idolatrous King tributary to the King of the Abyssins since the conquest that Alexander the Preste John made of it which hath ever since obeyed his Lawes together with Rocca or Eroca where there is a faire Haven inhabited by Christians Abyssins very good people they weep for joy to see any Christians of these parts they call them Romatas or Roume make very much of them and distribute what they have amongst them according to the charitable practise of the Primitive Church They have a little higher another faire Isle called Mesua or Mezuan peopled with Christians where there is a good Haven that saves many good ships from shipwrack sayling in this dangerous sea a little above Mesua is another Isle called Ibrani on Aethiopia side where there is a good Haven and most of the Inhabitants fishermen beyond that is the Isle of Camera subject to the Preste John she hath two Havens one southward the other eastward hath good water and a good well two hundered paces from the Sea in an orchard called Magodu or Magot conteyning twenty or thirty houses and every house a boate ready to take the water to fish which is their onely livelihood CHAP. IX Of Dalascia Town belonging to the Grand Neguz of the Isle of Socotora with a description of a prodigious tempest THe Caravans that come from the Abyssins Countrey are imbarked at Dalascia or Dalaca or at the Isle of Suachen belonging to the Grand Neguz and bound from thence for the Holy Land most of these places are inhabited by Christians Suachen is an Island in the eighteenth degree of latitude drawing from east to south within a bow shoote off the Continent Dalascia belongs to the Neguz governed by a Mahometan tributary to him and allowes liberty of conscience They have fair Churches their Priests marrying as the Grecians do who are subordinate to the Abuma or Patriark of Ethiopia The air is exceeding benign and productive of all excellent fruits
is there the best of the world This Island was discovered by Fernand Bereyta a Portuguese and Aristotle sayes that Alexander conquered this Isle in his return from the India's and peopled it with Grecians purposely to plant aloes Before Portugall had here any Interest the Indians trade both of spices and other precious commodities came from Malaca by Ormus and Aden and from thence by Caravanes to the Leuante some by the Persick Sea Balsera and the mouth of Euphrates thence through Armenia into Trebisonde by the Majorka sea into Tartaria or by Damas Barut or Aleppo where the Venetians the Genovais and the Catalonians fetched them others by the red Sea the Grand Caire and Alexandria as we have already said others by the rivers Indus and Oxus from thence thorough Caspia into our Western regions but they have taken another road round Africa which is kept to this very day CHAP. X. Of the Island and Kingdom of Ormus of the King and his Government of the trade there and of his severall Conquests HAving sayled thorough the Arabick Gulfe and those Coasts we returned to Aden where we spent some dayes trading and exchanging our commodies then we embarked our selves for Ormus to pay custome for some Persian horses we had shipt with us because they pay no tax thorough the cheifest part of the Indies taking a Cartaco or passe which the severall Governors upon demand are bound to give Thus sayling from Aden by the Coast of Arabia and the Cape Taratque Rosolgate and Moncadon or Moalandaon unto the mouth of the Persick Gulfe or the Streight of Bazora at length we arrived at Ormus The name of a Town an Island and Kingdome winding to and fro into the Continent of Persia and Arabia In Ormus we lodged with a Portuguais who took state upon him his man still carrying after him a guilt sword and a dagger with a silver cup to drink in scorning to touch anothers yet nevertheless he kept an Inn common to all passengers The Town of Ormus is scituate in an Isle in the 26 or 27 th degree 9 miles distant from Persia thirty from Arabia the Isle is between 35 and 40 miles compass wholly barren the Town is faire and hath a strong Fort begirt with high walls and eight turrets in the forme of Castles one halfe of the Town is incompast with the sea and hath foure large cisterns or conduits of fresh water brought in pipes from the Continent The Inhabitants are some Christians some Mahometans and others Idolaters There Reigned a Potent King here for 300 yeares since this state was established 'T was in the Raigne of Ceyfadin that Alphonsus Albuquerque reduced both the King and Country to the obedience of the King of Portugall and ever since the Kings of Ormus were tributary to that King who yet meddles not with his Lawes and Rights the native King hath vast Revenues both in the Island and in the Continent of Persia and Arabia He is onely sworne to keepe league and fidelity with Portugall and the Vice-Roy acknowledges him honours him and visits him frequently in his Palace The Isle onely at this day payes tribute to the Portugais The King lives most splendidly and magnificently amongst his Subjects The confines of his State towards the north are the Kingdom of Dori toward Persia and reaches unto the Cape of Rosolgate at the very Gulph from thence unto the Cape Moncadon containing the Isles called Gedri from a great river that runs into another named Dale that separates Persia from Carmania or Chirmania In the Gulph is Baharen an Isle famous for the fishing of the rarest and most pretious Oriental pearls where the Portugais have a Factor the Inhabitants of Ormus are very voluptuous walking the streets they have carryed after them a Cuppe or Box full of Araca a dainty very delicious and much used amongst the Indians They have little Cabans in the Sea covered with boughs and leaves where they refresh and shelter themselves against the wind Abrazador so named by the Portugais which blowes in the afternoon This wind is so subtle and stirres up so small a dust that it choaks people and if a stranger be ignorant of the custom of the countrey he is in very great danger the people are courteous and ready to advertize strangers Their greatest inconvenience is the scarcity of fresh water which they fetch nine or ten mile out of the firm land They have two or three wells nearer at hand five or six miles from the town in a place called Terrabaguen The Isle hath two good Havens one in the East the other in the West the others are not secure There is near the Town a sulpher Myne and a little salt-hill of the like goodnesse to that of Cardonne in Catalonia from which they draw great profit it is used in many places and the Prince receives a Gabel out of it in the town of Ormus there is a Mart of all commodities from the Indies Persia Arabia and Aethiopia in which places the Indians trade as well as Persians Levantins Turkes Abyssins Venetians Portugais and others the Caravane or Casile arrives here twice a year by land from Aleppo the first in April the second in September From Aleppo they travell through Babylon to Balsora guarded by the Janissaries from thence to Ormus They travel seven or eight thousand in a company at Aleppo there are English French and Venetian Consuls From hence they trade in spices perfumes pearles precious stones Carpets Silks Chamlets horses conserves and several sorts of sweet meats We came hither opportunely to see the Creation or Election of their new King which is performed with many ceremonies to which the Viceroy of Portugal contributes great summes for the Honour and State of his Master A Prince of the Royal Mahometan Blood is elected and sworne to maintain his kingdom under the King of Portugals obedience and although all his Lands and Lordships are scituate in the Continent of Persia and Arabia where no Christian can reach them yet neverthelesse the King is sworne to this Fealty and obedience by the Viceroy that delivers him his Scepter in the Fort and accompanies him with a great train and magnificence into his Royal Palace where having made his submission and obeysance takes his leave and returns unto his Citadell This King amongst other things is sworne never to hold a great Assembly without giving notice to the Viceroy and thus they live peacefully and keep a good correspondence some yeares since the King of Persia by the help of the English and Hollander hath regained Ormus and reduced it to his obedience as formerly CHAP. XI Of Persia her confines and provinces Of Babylon and the Lake of Pitch LEaving Ormus we resolved to travel through all Persia before we begun our East-Indian voyage as we first had designed 'T was occasioned by a Merchant I have already spoken of having travelled to and
Wards and in time of war or troubles the four States or Councels withdraw themselves into their respective limits and call their Councels and he that hath best advised makes it out to the Councel that his advice is most necessary and useful injoyes royal liberty of freedom without paying taxe assessement or imposition what lands soever he be possessed of He is much esteemed and respected by the Prince being ever after freely admitted unto the general Councel which is held annually for the kingdomes good and welfare This is also an observation as in many townes in Persia which inclines the people very much to the study of Astronomy divination and all sorts or kinds of Philosophy that may make them wise and prudent and understanding they are much given to vertues chastity only excepted being a large and lascivious people the women in these countries are the fairest and the sweetest in the whole world which verifies the Proverb a Persian woman and horse CHAP. XII Of the Town of Tauris Sumachia Bachat Casbin and some of the chiefest places of Persia FRom Babylon we passed through all the other towns of Persia the chiefest whereof I will only mention as Tauris in Media a great town and full of Merchants some take her for the ancient Ecbatanes a Royal town belonging to the primitive Kings of Media it hath been several times taken and retaken by the Turks and Persians untill 't was strongly maintained by the Persian since the last battailes given by the Persian to the Turk she was lost when the King of Persia assisted Prince Zagathay which occasioned the revolt of a good part of his country contrived by his eldest son This King to recover his country and to ensnare his son devised a stratagem which was to report himself dead and caused his obsequies publickly to be celebrated concealing himself in the place his treasure was kept in hither his abused Son streight repaired was seized on and ended his dayes in prison after this the King with a great Army went to regain what he had lost of his dominions as Sequetpee Aremnia the towns of Siras and divers others upon the Euphrates Tigris and Araxes The town of Tauris hath been several times burnt and plundered in the several conquests she yielded unto she may be very near as great as London The Prince receives yearly great revenues by trade as well as from the Inhabitants for they are all tributary as also all artificers are acccording to their faculties and callings The Merchants that only passe through the town without making any stay pay for their commodities at the rate of five per centum for toll or custome or the rights of passage and if they are minded to stay in town they pay ten per centum but notwithstanding the height of the custome thither resort very many Merchants with all sorts of wares from all places as it were in spight they come from the Indies Africa Aethiopia Baldec Mosul Cremesol Cambalec Melusia Vaouta Decherin Saltamach Chelmodate Cotestan and from other parts of the world which brings an inestimable treasure to the Sophy Besides the many other towns that pay the like gabels and customs as Giac Soltania Jaban Comer Casera Erget all very rich Towns Then towards Cusistan the great City of Guerd upon the River Bindamar Virgan Marout Asana with Nain all iunumerably peopled Sidan Reib Estrana Barbarihen Samachir and in other parts Maluchia Sengan Sio Meson Ere and many more the Country being five hundred leagues over from Babylon to Corozan and from the Persick to the Caspian Sea all inhabited by people civilized yet most of them Mahometans of the Sect of Hali. A little above Tauris drawing towards the North and the bounds of Media stands Arbena or Derbent which they say was built and so named by Alexander the Great formerly called the Port of Caucase or Iberia because it is a strait of land or narrow passage between the Caspian Sea and the hills which hindred the Scythians entry upon Media since she is called Temircapi or Iron gate and Derbent which signifies a Strait and there be many Iron gates with a strong garrison to stop the Northern peoples passage as the Circassians Albanians Tartars and others Beneath Derbent stands Sumachia a rich Town and full of gentry then Bachat or Bacha another Town of great commerce upon the Caspian Sea and a most famous one being the nursery of the fairest women of all Persia and the Persian dames do far excell in beauty sweetnesse graces and are more taking than any Ladies in that part of the world and they have a proverb in Persia that he that hath a mind to see a fair and handsom woman must go to Bachat They are visited from all parts for they are of amiable complexions and there is a certain place in the Town called Gezempee whither most of the Curtizans do retire and are frequently visited by strangers The Jewes that inhabit this Town do carefully take up all the poor girles that have in any measure received natures favour they cloath them richly and lodge them in a large street near to that quarter called Machif which signifies a stews and make a great benefit of them they are all sumptuously lodged apparelled like Princesses and although they are poor yet they find friends that provide for them you spy them at the windows as at Rome their keeping open houses gives a free access unto all persons to trade with them yet for the most part they are married to rogues or mean conditioned people as Porters Car-men Butchers or Hangmen who often interrupt your entertainments or conversation with their rudenesse shewing themselves to be masters there I saw a Marseillian dame named Louysa Campane brought hither by her husband to keep a house she became so haughty and proud of her gallantry that a certain Merchant desirous to buy her favour at ten crowns price she threw it him out at the window very scornfully and yet was not of the ablest to live amongst them neverthelesse she maintained her husband in silks and satins who was but a poor Seaman ugly and ill behaved but it is rare if this sort of women become not most miserable at last by reason of their vaste and continuall expenses they will thorough vanity give a crown or two at a time to a beggar in the street This Marseillian had lived five or six years in a great heighth in Tauris where by her trade she had got above a thousand crowns which through her pride and vanity she wholly consumed being banisht the Town for braving and giving a box on the ear to a Lord that kept her for a time since she retired to Bachat There are many more fair Towns in Persia as Spahan Casbin Siras Royall Towns at Spahan is kept one of the Sophy's Courts well peopled and rich there are made many silke stuffs and is plenty of a certain
strength and importance of the place drawing both hatred and envy from the Indians The King of Cambaye and other neighbouring Kings indeavoured to recover it by meer strength but all in vain for the gallant opposition and defence of the Portugall hath kept them masters of it to this day The Indians had some reason for what they did for from thence depended the whole Trade of the Kingdom and adjacent Countreyes and the Portuguais keep all that Countrey in subjection from Diu to Goa and the Cape Comarin 270. leagues in length The chiefest part of the East is furnished with commodities from hence a place very rich well peopled and full of good Townes and of great trade In the adjacent parts to Diu upon the Continent are the Kingdomes of Circan and Reytenbura where stands the Royall Town of Ardanat then Campanell capitall Town of Cambaye stands beyond the River Indus and the Townes of Albiran Casdar Masura Sudustan Abedit all great Townes rich and well traded and inhabited by many Merchants Gentills Mores Jewes and Christians in this Town Malefactors are put to death by poyson only and not by the sword Beyond the River Araba stand many fair Townes viz. Savadir Barca Bermen Patenisir a fair haven where divers of the rarest and richest Carpets of the World are made in silke and figured which are transported to Bengale Malaco and Pegu and other places there are also made Calicoes stained of divers colours which is the chiefest and ordinary cloathing the Natives use and there is brought of it into all parts of the world Halfe a dayes journey from Batenisir stands Diu upon a creek of land separate by a river from the Continent there are paid great Customes upon all sorts of commodities which brings in a great profit to the Inhabitants the King of Spain having the least share in it and what he hath imployed to the maintenance of the Garrisons most of those payments fall to the Officers and receivers shares who agree very well with the Vice-Roy The King is often of a mind to quit the Countrey but his Councill is not of the same opinion the Countrey being too considerable to their Prince for strength and reputation and besides 't would indanger the losse of Christianity that is so hopefully rooted in those parts for the Turkes assault them often and took and sack't the Castle of Diu twice and had reduced the rest of the Town but for the help of three ships that came into their assistance from Cochin that preserved the rest and beat the Turks out of what they had already got The Portuguais in defence of them and the Nations have built two strong Forts the one in the sea the other that commands all passages by Land but the Natives having often fallen upon them to their own losse are now the Spaniards good friends according unto Articles and Agreements made between them The Inhabitants of Cambaye are strict observers of many superstitious customs they will not eat with a Christian although they visit them often if you touch their meat they think themselves polluted and this they have from the Guzerates in which they are more rigidly superstitious than the Jews themselves Those of any quality eat upon silken carpets diversly colour'd and to preserve their silks serve the dishes upon green leaves they are temperate in their diet and drink of severall sorts of liquors and they mingle some Areca to them all a fruit very common in the India's it is also held very wholesom preserves them and cures them of several diseases it preserves the teeth strangely for the Inhabitants are never troubled with any pains or aches in them women are there in very great esteem especially the great Ladies who never stir out of their houses some delight themselves never to see day light and are served all by candle light The whole Countrey is inhabited by Gentills and Guzerates The justest the most reasonable and religious of the East according to the ancient Pythagorean rule they never feed upon any living Creature whatever their chiefest food is rice white and black milk cheese garden stuffe and the like they do wrong to no persons nay they spare the bloud and lives of their mortallest enemies the Countrey towards Rasigut produces great store of Turkey stones of Storax Cornelians red and white This Kingdom extends it self towards South-east and the Sea Southward Westward it buts upon Guzerate Eastward are the lands of Mandao and Paleucate and Northward it reaches unto Sangan Dulcinde and the Territories of the Grand Mogull Through this kingdom runs the famous River of Indus called Indus Inder or Schind and hath given her name to the whole Countrey and chiefly to Indostan and other neighbouring Countries which make up the India citerior her head springs forth of the Mountain Caucasus Paropamisus called at this day Naugracot and Vssonte and taking her course thorough many great Kingdoms is swel'd by many great Rivers that lose themselves in her and at last discharges her self into the Indian Sea at two several mouths near unto the Town of Cambaye Cambaye is a large and flourishing Town seated upon a River called by the Inhabitants Amondoua and separates the Provinces of Guzerate and Cambaye both making one Kingdom This Town stands a league from the Sea and about the same distance from the River Indus which affords her a haven in two places the chiefest is in a corner of the Town Northward and is so narrow that in case of necessity the ships may be chained in the harbour the ships come and go with the ebbe and flow and are often very numerous and 't is to be noted that the tides are weakest at the full of the Moon which is wonderfull and contrary to ours the reason thereof is not yet found out by any Naturalist The same happens in Pegu as we shall speak of hereafter This Town is one of the richest of the Orient built very stately at the Italian model and the passages leading to her strengthened by many forts The Portuguais have often endeavoured to possesse themselves of it being plentifully furnisht with all things necessary to mankind and here are most excellent fruits Here Diu provides her self with what she wants at home Cambaye and she being Confederates she produces the best Turbith Galanga Nardus Assa foetida and other drugs is rich in silks cottons rice and all sorts of seeds and abounds in precious stones and Jewels The Prince that governs is a Mahometan gives liberty of conscience to all his Subjects to the Christians Jews Idolaters his guard consists of 2000. horse and 3000 foot armed with bows and cimeters He keeps fifty Elephants taught to reverence him dayly and are sumptuously trapped and caparisoned upon dayes of publick shews or festivals their stable well and neatly furnished painted and well set forth and are fed in silver vessels and their grooms or Governours dresse them with great respect and humility
sincerity and integrity is such that the Justices esteem their words and writings to equal sacred things and when a Merchant happens to die leaving his goods in one of these persons hands they are very faithfully restored to his heir or next of kindred From Diu and Cambaye unto the Cape Comorin by the Coast of Malabar it is some 300 leagues sayle and neer to Cambaye is the Kingdome of Jogues CHAP. XVI Of Deli Malabar of Goa the capitall Town of India NEer to Cambaye we fell into the Kingdom of Deli and Decan they say that 300. yeares since Sanosaradin King of Deli conquered Decan Canary Bellagatte Concam Goa and all the Countreyes reaching unto Comori but since under his severall Successors those Countreys were divided and allotted to severall Captains that have possessed themselves thereof acknowledging for forme sake only the King of Deli Idalcan was at Goa since Nysamaluco and the Negatana and many neighbouring Countreys are subjected to the Great Mogull who this last age hath conquered the chiefest part of the east Indies and threatens hard to the rest Malabar lies upon the Westerne Coaste from Goa to Comori as eastward on the other side lies Coromandell where are the Kingdomes of Bisnagar or Narsingue Orixa Menduo and severall others from Ormus to Goa it is 500. leagues or thereabouts We sailed all along this Coaste and we arrived at Goa an Isle and Towne of Malabar as faire rich and stately a Town as is this day in the east being as a key to the India's in the sixteenth degree of elevation devided from the Continent by a large River called Mandova as big as the Euphrates and by another little River named Guari from whence the Towne took her name formerly belonging to the Kingdom of Narsingue since unto Decan or Dealcan and since 't was conquered by the Portugall under Alphonsus Albukerke of the Moore Sabaco Generall unto the King of Decan in the yeare 1500. she hath eastward and northward the Countrey of Decan westward the great sea and southward the Kingdom of Mangalor subject to the King of Narsingue The Insularies or Inhabitants having ever been well addicted to trading they are people stout and haughty There is a great concourse of all the Indians a Haven at the village called Bonastariu with a block house that commands the entrance of it though it be strong of it selfe They have severall other good Ports as at Danda Alinga Banda Amolapole and Puntadasall then old Goa Rama Guisantole and Amadina each having her particular river on the continent side there are many Towns and Plantations most of them Mahometans and Idolaters kept in by the Portugais they have stately ship-timber They are pretty well awed for the present since they were punisht for a treacherous conspiracy which by the assistance of some neighbouring Countries they intended to have put in execution but was by Gods permission discovered by the Barbarians inhabitants of Paleacate and although they were 100 Gentills for one Christian and had almost gained the Fort yet they were gallantly repulsed by Don Garcias Acugna Governour of the Fort he very liberally rewarded those that gave him so timely advice distributing the Kings Treasure amongst them and since those freindly neighbours of Paleacate injoyed the same freedomes and Priviledges with the Portugais they were made subsidy and customes-free and so strict an alliance and unity contracted between them that many of them since are baptized turned Christians and do frequently enter-marry the Plotters were most of them put to death the rest banish't and their goods confiscated The Isle of Goa is some 15 or 16 miles about the Inhabitants are strong and able bodyed almost of an olive colour The Town is infinitely rich and the great street very full of goldsmiths that have their shops well stored with gold silver and Jewells The Gentills had a most magnificent Temple built of stone in a little Island neere to Goa called Dinary where they adored the Devill that appeared to them in diverse most terrible and horrid shapes The Portugais seeing this diabolicall profanation demolish't the Temple and the Idols without leaving the least marke behind them and with the stones they fortified the Town and built many fair houses which bred a great malice and hatred amongst the Idolaters The Temple was built of a black stone and their Pagodes or Idolls were most horribly shaped When the Portugais managed that great Warr against Samorin of Calicut it was then in their power to demolish this Temple But the respect they bore to an Image of our blessed Lady Mother of God made them spare it for that time They call the Blessed Virgin Sannacarin which signifies a bird and hold she is the spirit of God they give great honour to the holy Crosse and say that at the founding of the Town a perfect one was found in the ground The Inhabitants live very deliciously feed much upon Areca and are carried in rich Sedans by their slaves and the inhabitants have liberty of conscience Having been often at Goa amongst other things I admired the great commerce the richest good order and administration of Justice and above all a most admirable government in an Hospital which is very rich where notwithstanding are great number of sick and maim'd from the Armies The Viceroy and Archbishop contribute liberally thereunto the Portugais prove themselves of an affable and compassionate nature although the Indians hold them rough and uncharitable because they possesse much of their land This Hospital is the fairest and the most accomplisht in all necessaries I know in the world and I dare affirm that neither that of the Holy Ghost at Rome nor the infirmary of Malta although they are served in plate in both those places do equall her in riches good orders and services that are farre better observed and tended then you can expect to be in your own house as I often was a witnesse of visiting the French that were there sick the Fathers of the society have the keeping of it and are very charitable therein It is built upon a River founded by the Kings of Portugal besides the charity and gifts of the Nobility which are great they have for the most part a Factor at Cambaye a Country plentiful in all sorts of grain who makes their provision at the cheapest rates there a great number of slaves that are employed in all inferiour offices and are also made use of in the other Indian Hospitals and other Monasteries Perfumes are daily burnt to prevent infection and to lessen the unwholesome sents that would otherwise very much offend they use very fine linnen and wine of Dates is their onely drinke and is full as delicious as that of Grapes the Portugais are very voluptuous and great sensualists and are served in Purcelain which will not hold poyson This Country is much infected with the great pox and with another infection called
and Tapacura under the obedience of Bengale Westward is Orixae where is the Diamond mine and the deserts of the Kingdom of Deli Southward the maine Indian sea The Kings of Bengale were able to conquer the Kingdom of Deli were not the great deserts of Damida and the Inpenetrable Forrests of Sacara interposed the two limits Southward on the one side is the Cape Sogora or Sagagora and of the other that of Castigan or Catigan at the third mouth of the Ganges over against the Kingdom of Verma where are the mines of Chrysolites Sardonix and Topases Verma hath formerly belonged unto the Kingdom of Bengale the people are very civill and given to trade And all Nations have free traffick as Persians Greekes Abyssins Chineses Guserates Malabares Turkes Moores Jewes Ruffes or Georgians and many others There is great commerce of Jewells and other Merchandises brought by the Mouth of Ganges streight to Bengale going up six miles by land but above twenty by water by reason of the ebb and flow which as I have already said is different from other seas the smallest tides falling out at the full of the Moone but when the water is at the lowest 't is three fadome deepe round the Walls of the Town so that ships safely enter the Haven and are there very numerous 'T is thought there are fourty thousand families in the Town and the King dwells in a stately Pallace built of brick with faire gardens unto it The Town is pleasantly seated The King keepes a great Court followed by a gallant Nobility and his chiefest guard consists of women as the custom is in Jave Sumatra and Fransiane they put more trust in them then in men they march very gravely are very valiant and expert horseriders and vaulters use the Cimitere and buckler and battle axes very dexterously you must take a care to come neer them in their March for they will abuse you calling you Gueriaer which signifies bold villain the King maintains a great many of them in his Pallace and the handsommest are richly attired The Sun once set 't is forbidden to any man to come neere the quarter the Seraglio is kept in it lookes upon a faire garden on the side of a pleasant river where the Ladies walke at night and 't is death for any man to be found there The Captain of the guard carries in his hand a poysoned nosegay which as it were by chance he puts to the nose of any person he hath a mind to kill and he dies within two houres or thereabouts or else he causes his hands and feet to be cut off This customary law is with more rigour executed upon the inhabitants then upon strangers If the women are surprized in their amours they run no danger and men are very seldom exempt from punishments One of those women being caught with a slave was brought before the King weeping to excuse her fault she said that had she not consented to that act the strangling of her matrix had killed her which the King took for an excuse and sentenc'd the slave to death who was a Knight of Malta and married his wife richly to a Lord of his Court. The King of Bengale is an Idolater as generally all the Eastern are he is valiant of Person and can draw into the field a great Army both of horse and foot wanting not wherewithall to maintain them for his Countrey is rich in gold silver and jewels he can draw forth two thousand Elephants caparison'd their teeth are shodd with steele and they will carry as many men as those of Narsingue they use hand-guns muskets swords javelins hallebards and pikes The Bengalians are the gallantest Persons of the East both men and women both sexes go richly apparel'd and perfumed All other Nations of the Indies flock thither to spend their money and chiefly to buy young slaves to attend and guard their women and manage their businesse they are bought and sold as horses are here they buy them young the safer to geld them the Parents being poore do not scruple to sell their children to strangers for three score four score and a hundred Ducates more or lesse for they are sure their children run no hazardous fortune they being instructed in all manner of Vertues The Law is that if a slave return to his father they are both enslaved to the master untill redemption The King of Bengale hath many Kings tributary to him as the King of Apura who payes him fifty Elephants yearly twelve pearls of the weight of a Miticale he yields this for the ransome of six Towns this King had taken of him in open war he made the King of Dimali tributary to him also for assisting his enemy King Apura and makes him pay 50. horses with 50000. cherats or crowns yearly The King of Orixa payes him tribute too and many more Gentiles and Mahometans although he himself in some manner acknowledges the great Mogull he hath an Army ever ready to draw into the field upon an instant the Nobility being generally tributary and released from that duty are obliged to serve their Prince upon his first summons with a certain number of horse and other necessaries And when they are engaged and obliged to it the war once ended the King rewards them with money and favour imbracing them as his children and after a solemn feast prepared for them dismisses them home to repose The Kings benign and gratefull entertninment so highly obliges them that they spare nothing for their Princes service The Climate is very temperate and well air'd that makes them live long witnesse the Moor of Bangale aged three hundred and thirty years in 1537. the oldest of the Countrey never knew him but old and of the same growth and remembred Cambaye without a Mahometan his hair chang'd colour four times from black to white and he lost his teeth as often and still they came again he had about 700. wives in his life time he was an Idolater for a 100. years together and was the rest of his time a Mahometan he was maintained by the Soldan of Cambaye since by the Governour of Diu although the Bengaliens lye under the Torrid Zone they are cooled with much rain that falls from May to mid August it rains from mid-day to mid-night the other twelve hours there falls none and that 's the time they have to travell and trade in Such is the disposition of the air under the Torrid Zone otherwise she would be dis-inhabitable for the great heats as the Ancients believed being not acquainted with the Countrey nor the rains besides many other reasons as the nights being of the same length with the dayes the winds and other causes daily observed The Bengalians are curious and delicious in their diet they feed much upon preserves and sweet-meats for having all sorts of spices green they confect of all sorts the husk of the nutmegs makes an excellent conserve so doth the long
women are clothed in mantles of the Spanish fashion which reach lower then their girdles and of a purple colour and beneath that have skirts of blew cotton that trayle upon the ground and ten or twelve of them are dressed after this manner The corps this while is laid forth in some great room covered with a rich cloth or pall according to the quality of the person with four of those women waiting whilst the rest of them are sent abroad the town to deplore and lament the dead person the last whereof a little separate from her fellow-sisters declares the name quality and life of the defunct that all persons may prepare themselves to assist at the funerals They ejulate weep and lament with exotick gestures and tortions and in these postures having walked round the town they return to the corps with numbers of people and when the body is borne to the Temple then they raise yet lowder cries and ejulations One of these women makes a Panegyrick of the dead setting forth the great losse he is to his wife children friends and kindred then the multitude expresse their sadnesse acknowledging the losse they howle and cry out so hideously all together that you would think them distracted or at least at the brink of despaire when the body is carried out of the house Flutes Kettles and other Instruments play to the Church whither the Parents Kindred and Friends follow a most pitiful and sad sight CHAP. XXIII Of the Isles of Archi-Pelagus of S. Laurance of the Island of Sumatra of Elephants and other particulars AT the opening of the Gulph Bengale are many Isles great and small which make the Archi-pelagus called S. Lazarey and near 80. leagues in length and end about the Philippines and the Japon the chiefest thereof are Sumatra Javes Boraco Banda the Molukes the Philippines and others Towards Sumatra are the Isles of Andreman or Andemaon which signifies golden mynes inhabited by Antropophayes who warre with one another and eat their prisoners They make the like provision of humane flesh as we do of beef or bacon each of those Isles have their Kings It happened once to a Portuguese vessel having passed the Canall of Micobar and Sombrero called by the Indians Jenibra lying between Sumatra and the Continent the Portuguais call it Call or Canall of Sombrero because the place is covered by the winding and shade of the Isle as it were with a great brimmed hat One night by a sudden storme she was cast upon the Isles of Andreman otherwise Maduca within two leagues whereof is a shelf or bottome of white rock very dangerous hardly possible to sayle by without shipwrack The Portuguais call the place Pedra bianca Those in the shippe foreseeing the danger they were in threw over-board all their Artilery and all other things of weight they had therein and threw away their main Mast and by this means they escaped the shelve and rock being suddenly thrown out of that narrow passage by a great wave but behold their greatest misfortune escaping one danger they fell into another for seeing their ship begin to fill with water having sprung a leake they were forced to commit themselves to the mercy of their fiercest enemy The Captain Don sano Mendo advised them to prepare for land and to resolve to sell their lives dear since there was no hopes for a handful of people to escape the cruelties of so many barbarous villaines they suddenly cut and broak the ship to flitters every one snatching a planck endeavouring to reach the shore which was about halfe a league off and having put themselves in the best order could be expected in the like disorder or confusion with such arms they could carry as swords and axes as they were ready to land these barbarous insularies met them with their bows and arrowes and truncks and killed some 20. at the first onset the remainder of them about sixty having got footing on land by force made a great slaughter amongst the Infidels and seized of two Merchants houses where they fortified themselves the best they could untill their bloody irritated enemy fell upon them and besieged their sconce The Portugais reduced to this sad extremity resolved to sally forth with firebrands in their hands and to fire the adjacent town or village which being built with reeds and covered with palme was presently consumed then they thought to have escaped in boats belonging to the Isle but knowing not how to use them they returned back again and fortified themselves in the Caselba or Temple where with certain provisions they brought thither and others they found they maintained the place eleven or twelve dayes at the end of which time seeing there was no hope of a composition to be made with that furious people they resolved to dye gallantly with their weapons in hand and after a mutual and unanimous preparation and resignation of themselves they threw themselves amongst those barbarous infidels killed double or trebble their number but at last yielded all to the same doome and were eaten and salted by those sanguinary Barbarians Sumatra is one of the fairest Isles in the world sometime Taprobane and Palesimonde some would have it to be that which in old time was the Chersonese of gold and Ophir most renowned for Salomon It is called by some Tasan which signifies a great Isle because she hath 800. leagues compasse The Inhabitants of Malaca say it was formerly joyned to their continent but divided by an earthquake lyes directly under the Equinoctial lyne in the first climate her dayes and nights are all of a length is divided into many Provinces which make three kingdomes the chiefest whereof is Sougar commonly called Pedir and have all mynes of gold silver and other mettals and of the best sorts of Drugges and Spices the Pepper that growes there is larger and more biting then any other growing under the Torrid zone which causes the country to be the most temperate and best inhabited in the world for the reasons I have already spoken of The ayre is very wholesome and people live there very long and with good health the natives are very tractable but of little truth so 't is not safe trading with them for they will falsifie their word for their profit The kingdom of Assy is the richest in gold which is the finest of the world and Achen is the most potent The Isle is inhabited by Gentiles Moores and Jewes Many Turks have of late planted there for the goodnesse of the country and purity of the ayre The Idolaters only are natives all others come from other parts The earth is strangely fruitful in all products the onely inconvenience is the great flouds from rain which incessantly falls from Mid May untill Mid August and from mid-day to mid-night onely as at Bengale and as it happens in most of the countries under that Zone The King of the country discovering his subjects falshood which
with a prodigious History of Serpents LEaving all those Isles to return into the Continent over against Sumatra Northward stands the Town and Kingdom of Malaca where is that so famous a spot of land with her Cape and Streight called Sicapura at one degree northward Malaca is a potent kingdom formerly the golden Chersonese as some yet hold and the Ophir of Salomon because much gold is found in many places of Sumatra contiguous to the other the Ancients believed her joyned to the Continent as you have heard already This Country obeyed the King of Siam untill a Lord of Java subjected her and by the assistance of some fishermen and Pyrates built the Town of Malaca Since the Malacans became Mahometans trading with the Persians and Guzerates and at last Alphonsus Albukerke surprized the Town for the King of Portugall it is the center of the East for trade and the mart for all Merchandizes of the East-Indies which improves her in grandeur treasure and power The language is esteemed the smoothest most elegant and copious of the Indies as the mother of all their other tongues which they diligently study they are much addicted to Poetry Amours and other Gallantries Malaca is scituate upon a pleasant river called Crisorant alluding to Chrise or land of gold which others rather believe to be China and Japan this river is not altogether so big as the Thames and divides the Town in two parts coupled by fair bridges stately built as is the rest of the Town The people are very civill of a good stature but a little tann'd the Country abounds in fruit subject to the King Siam though the Town belongs to the Portuguese where they have a strong Fort and a Haven that brings in great Revenues by reason of the customes imposed upon the infinite number of Merchandizes are imported from forreign parts Those imposts or customes were formerly paid to the King of Siam The Captain hath two good ships well rigged and man'd with which he scowres those seas and sailes into China loaden with wedges of gold and silver cloves pepper cinamon linnen and woollen cloth scarlets saffron corrall mercury vermillion and all other exquisite commodities of the Indies and brings back from thence silks purcelaines satins damask harts-horn musk rubarbe pearles salt-peter iron ivory boxes and fanns These two places are eight hundred l. distant and a great river upon which they say ships are drawn by Elephants to Quinsay capitall of Tabin or China where the ships arriving salute the King with three peeces of Canon and the Town with one if they think good then the Captain setting foot on land is sworn upon the Kings Picture that he comes Bona Fide to negotiate and then he is admitted The ayre of Malaca is not very wholesom to strangers nor natives From Malaca we went to the Kingdom of Siam very potent formerly containing many Kingdomes Their neighbour the King of Pegu got many of them in a Warr he maintained against Siam for a white Elephant which the Peguans adore and ever since the Kingdom of Siam hath been weak and divided into many Provinces or Dominions where the King is hardly acknowledged formerly it contained sixteen or seventeen Kingdomes or Principalityes and did reach from Tanansterin or Tarnatsery unto Champaa above 700. leagues from Coast to Coast between Malaca the Isles Pacanes Passiloco Capimper Chiammay the Lahos and Guttâ—s 'T is called the Empire of Sornao the King Prechau Saleu who kept his Court at the great Town of Odiva whither the Kings were tied to come yearly to acknowledge the Princes and pay their tribute kissing the Cimiter at his side Then by reason of the great distance and the many Rivers which lengthen their journeys and render them difficult he remitted this kind of acknowledgment to be made to a Lieutenant or Vice-Roy in the Town of Lugor neerer and more commodious This Country confines upon Pegu westward northward upon Chiammay southward towards the Province of Caburi and the main sea and eastward upon the Gulfe of Cambaye 't is one of the plentifullest and best Isles in the world abounding in all fruits victualls silver mines iron lead pewter salt-peter sulphure silkes honey wax sugars sweet-woods benjamin cottons rubies saphyres ivory and great plenty of all spices and other commodities imported from other parts The inhabitants are not warlike The women are very lovely and well disposed they are richly adorned with Jewells their coates tuck 't up to their knees their feet and legs bare to shew how they are decked and loaded with gemms they weare jewells upon their armes also their haire is platted and covered therewith in imitation of the Peguans They are carried in chariots richly covered their gownes open before discover their naked breasts their smocks being likewise slit when they walke they hold both their hands before them to hide their nakedness and yet so as t is plainly seen They say that custom was first brought up by Queen Tirada the wisest of her time and her bones are to this day kept with great reverence perceiving her Subjects to be besotted or violently addicted to Sodomie she thought by such charming allurements to withdraw them from that bestiality as indeed they are since wholly taken off from that abominahle sensuality and in truth that Countrey women are very faire and well shaped they play upon certain Musicall instruments which they are diligently instructed in from their infancy the men may marry two wives but they pay double customes for the second and most of them therefore are contented with one the women are very tractable humble and discreet their greatest care is to be beloved of their husbands They cruelly sacrifice Virgins and their manner of burying the dead is as inhumane for as soone as one of their alliance is deceased they erect him a Monument in the fields according to their conditions and abilities then they shave their whole body in signe of mourning Women cast off their jewels and are cloathed in white the doleful colour there all the deceased's friends and alliance are invited solemnly to attend the Corps to the Interment The Corps is clothed in a rich habit exposed upon a Chariot in a bed of state and drawn by six of his nearest kindred of the best of his family and six more of his best friends covered with an ash-colour canopy and of the same colour his Relations are cloathed before the Corpes go six flutes who with two kettle drums or tabors make so lamentable a noise that it drawes teares from the Assistants The slutes are hired and discharged by the Publick drawing neer to the buriall place they throw perfumes upon the Chariot This done they all retire the parents and kindred only excepted who strip the body and make it clean multiplying their cries and lamentations then roast it with their sweet woods gather round about it and with many sad groanes
feed on in the Indies mean while our Geographers are mistaken who say that the river that runs through Tangus is the same that waters Pegu although they be different countries and remote This River rises at the Lake Chiammay passes through Brema or Brama washing in with her waves refined gold which she drawes from several mynes the country is full of She runs through the kingdom of Prom where are the famous towns of Milintay Calamba and Amirandou Those territories joyn to Alva then to Boldia called by the high Indians Siami where they are very courteous and it passes for a Proverb courteous as a Siamite Siami is a vast kingdom called the Empire of Siammon Then to Berma or Verma whereof the capital is Carpa and butts upon Tazatay and the kingdomes of Pandior and Muantay The King of Pegu subjugated the kingdom of Berma two years after he conquered Siam then there are Vilet Abdiar and Caypuma whereof the chief is Canarane of which more hereafter The King by his Talcada or Lieutenant hath conquered many other countries who subdued all the Provinces of Siam Berma Javay Manar and others unto the kingdom of Perperi Tarnasseri Maragoura Guertale Langoura Nigrane and Joncolan that touches Malaca Winning Siam he got Ban Ploan Odian Macaon and others conquered before by the King of Siam This Prince is a great lover of strange beasts and hath of divers sorts brought him from all parts of the world and land at several places as at Dagon two dayes journey from Pegu Martaban which is four at Guzan two dayes journey from Caponin where beginnes the great Gulph of Saharic at the mouth of Caypumo This River with that of Ava and Siam overflows like the Nile from Mid May to Mid August which improves the Country very much she draws refined gold by wyres wherewith the King enriches his Temples and Idols for gold and silver in those parts are but merchandizes their coin of brasse lead and pewter called Ganze or Ganza and any man coins with the Lieutenants leave who is Generall That coin is currant thorough the kingdom of Tauay the last of the territories of Pegu in the middle of the Province of Manar watered by that famous River of Marsina or Menan Pegu is so temperate that 't is green all the year long the people are rather whites than blacks and well shap'd women amiable gay and neatly dressed There are many hermaphrodites as at Sumatra There is plenty of pepper vermillion mercury cloves They make Chamlets hangings of feathers silk stuffs have store of rice and beasts for chase They want nothing but good horses which the Prince is curious to procure from other parts bating merchants their imposts to bring of them in The Kings Palace stands at the farther end of new Pegu sheltered from the Northwind by a little hill there grow all sorts of trees five sorts of palm trees inclosed with a wall like a park where they keep all sorts of beasts you can meet with in any part of the world which the King carefully seeks after never regarding each price as it appeared by that long war made by him and the King of Siam who refused him the white Elephant to put into his Calachar or park 'T was Aleager or Chaumigrem King of Pegu begun this cruell war with an Army of a million of martiall men two hundred thousand horse five thousand Elephants and three thousand Camels The Vaunt-guard was composed but of 50000. horse he sack't and ruined his principall Town Lagi or Siam which was reputed to be twice as big as Paris and thrice as Fez. The siege lasted 22. months From Pegu to Siam 't is sixty five dayes journey by camels he took all his treasure wife and children and brought them prisoners into Pegu with the white Elephant This deplorable King reduced to extremities cast himself down from the highest turret in his Palace and broke himself in pieces some of his daughters and Princesses made themselves away with a hoop or circle of iron edg'd about that closed it self when they thrust their necks therein with their feet in a noose hung thereunto which strangles them immediately and if Adigola and the other Ladies had had time they would never have been brought away alive there was but one Lady saved wife to the Grand Mogull's Son This Prince followed the Peguan Army to recover his wife was taken prisoner and by his frequent prayers and desires he obtained leave to visit his wife and mother-in-law The King himself gives them much comfort by his visits representing unro them the change and revolution of affairs he gave them freedom and remitted them ransomlesse sent them all back again with many and rich presents and married the young Prince to his Lady who were before but affianced conducted them to his confines with great honour and magnificence whence grew the greatnesse of the Mogor Mogoz or Mogull tributary to the King of Pegu who hath since broke his faith making himself a Soveraign You hear for what reasons the King of Pegu waged this war that bred so much ruine and desolation for a white Elephant onely a fatal and unhappy beast as Sejans horse hath proved to all that ever possessed him and hath cost five Kings their lives and whole Estates as it happened to the last King of Pegu who had it lately taken from him by the King of Aracan by the treachery of the King of Tangus his Brother-in-law White Elephants are very rare yet they are so besotted as to adore them at Siam festivals were kept in his honour called Quinday Pileu which is to say honest mens delight The King of Pegu drew four in his coach and I believe that in the rest of the East there were not more to be found The Kings Palace called Chalousbemba was built square with a Dosme at every corner stands the statue of a Gyant of polisht marble who Atlas-like upheld this goodly fabrick and are represented with such tortions of face you would think they complain of their load The stone 't is built with is smooth and resplendent as glasse for the adjacent forrests and gardens are therein perfectly discovered 'T is inviron'd in with a deep trench you enter over a draw bridge thorough a gate of excessive heighth and strength where are the figures of a Gyant and his wife each of a piece and of a mixt coloured marble the pavement is of the same and represents like the Sea this massy structure They spare neither gold nor azure and in Galleries you shall see carved the Histories of all the wars those Kings have made against their enemies From thence you descend some steps of marble into a lower Court encompassed with ballisters or railes where there is a pleasant fountain whence the water is conducted into severall gardens by pipes the gardens fenced with strong walls one of them is three miles long where grow various sorts of trees
instruments So soon as any one falls to the ground none but would think the devil enters into him they change the tune and dance with more violence and fury without missing the least point of the cadence But what is most strange of all they say at the same time they see the the devils dance with them and that they easily know them by the agility of their motion for otherwise they are attired like the Priests They observe visibly that they must needs be Demons because only a certain number of Priests mounting the Scaffold when any of them fall you still see the same number dancing without diminution By reason whereof the beholders suffer strange distempers and their hair standing an end I remember that being present on a time for curiosity on the suddain I felt my self seized with a swimming in my head that so inflamed me I was almost suffocated not able to speak a word nor draw my breath and striving to cry out and call for help to my company that was not far off I could not possibly bring forth a word so as being all in a lavour with agony and distresse that held me a quarter of an houre in my heart I made my prayers to Almighty God by whose grace I was deliver'd having never known the like torment in my life-time for I felt I know not what pass betwixt my legges then leapt upon my shoulders the phantasm continually grasping me fast I was so dejected as nothing could be more but my companions reassured me the best they could and as soon as I was gotten away I went to tell it to Father Hipolita of Saint Francis order who assured me 't was a diabolical illusion to have destroyed me had not God with his grace secured me He counselled me to be thankful to Almighty God and come no more where such abominations were the curiosity whereof had cost me so dear for I was a glad man to see it end in a mockery but thenceforward I had a care how I came within their Temples and congregations to see their accursed Idolatries But to end the feast when the ceremonies and dances have lasted four dayes the Nobility makes a feast in some Palace of account where the principal of the city men and women are invited and come most richly apparelled and covered with jewels and rubies sometimes as bigge as a nut blazing like burning coales then after a sacrifice these Nobles command the Musick play some pleasant ayre and one of them takes a dame whom he likes best forth to dance not touching her hand nevertheless but holding by a handcherchief of silk and all the rest do the like till the ball be ended They dance round and 't is prety to see this humble dance artificiall for the many changes are in it This ended the musick changes to a very solemn base as 't were for repose with certain stanzoes sung in praise of their deceased Ancestors celebrating their valours with a thousand encomiums for the most part false Then they sit round discoursing still of the valour of these deceased and the women more tender of heart fall a weeping and amidst their lamentations all cry out they shall never be like their Fathers who did such and such high feats after having invited each other joyntly to complaints at last being tired they take a collation together and so the ceremony ends By what is said 't is plainly seen how strangely superstitious these people are and how serious an honour they bear their gods or demons to which their Priests cease not dayly to excite them more and more and omit not the least diminutive Ceremony for their honour or profit These Priests bear a wonderfull authority over them which as I said before is more remarkable in their wars than in any other thing For these Eastern Princes in raising war differ much from us insomuch as having a considerable war to be commenc'd with their neighbour Princes or others the Priests take upon them authority to arbitrate the matter having such priviledge as freely to remonstrate to their Prince his duty to the people whereupon two Bramins or Priests for both sides without passion confer together of their Princes complaint to find a means to accommodate the matter when they cannot effect it they draw a hundred of the prime horse and as many foot out oâ— their Armies ranked in battalia consisting many times of three or four hundred thousand men rarely ever making war but with equality the stronger still giving law to the weaker And though one Bramin find his party stronger by a hundred thousand he yet makes a conscience to use his advantage as much as may be to prevent combat and if of necessity it must be he uses a thousand protestations to his Prince to hinder it but not effecting it they order the two small parties to joyn giving their benediction to them and exhorting every one to do his best the Victor giving conditions to the other who is compelled to yield and so their wars are concluded for the most part To them who in this action shall have done any thing signall the Prince gives a favour which they keep as sacred though many times 't is but a scarf or silly taffeta ribbon with a certain character or figure in the middle that denotes he hath behav'd himself well in fight for his Princes cause which they wear on festivals in hats or palm bonnets and some there are who have divers of them respective to the occasions they served in For the example I touched upon in the predictions at the marriages of great ones and the fortune of their children 't is thus In the land of Transiane there was a Prince tributary to the King of Pegu and his near Kinsman who married a sister of the Prince Tazatay one of the greatest beauties in the Eastern parts The nuptials were kept with great joy and solemnity amongst other things the Divines were consulted of the successe of the marriage and 't was found that never two persons had loved and should love so well as these two the Prince and Princesse Alfonge and Abelara this hariolation doubled the joy and celebrity and in effect they lived a sweet and a happy life with intire affection and for their greater felicity they had two twin-sons who in their under-growth discovered something of great and lofty and appeared singularly hopefull for the future These Infants having attained their ten yeares age loved so cordially they could not live asunder and the ones desire still met with the others consent in all things but the Devil that enemy of concord inspires a curiosity into the minds of the Father and Mother to know their fates and to their grief were told the time should come when these two brothers that now loved so fondly should cut one anothers throats which much astonished the poor Princes and filled them with fearfull apprehensions The two Princes
being come to their fifteen yeares one said to the other Brother it must be you that must murther me for I will sooner dye a hundred deaths then do you the lest harm imaginable the other reply'd believe it not good Brother I desire you for you are as dear and dearer to me than my self But the Father to prevent the misfortune resolved to separate them whereupon they grew so troubled and melancholly he was constrained to protract his design till an occasion happened that invited all three the Father and two Sons to a war betwixt the Kings of Narsinga and Pegu upon Title of Territories one detained from the other but by mediation of the Bramins a peace was concluded upon condition these two young Princes should espouse the two daughters of the King of Narsinga and the King of Baticalas Sister two Princesses of transcendent beauty and that the King of Pegu on him that should marry the elder should conferre all the Countryes he took in the last war with the Kingdome of Martaban and the other Brother besides the Kingdome of Tazatay should have that of Verma which containes the Seniory of Zait that payes yearly for tribute twelve pearles weighing two Serafs of Gold and of intire perfection These contracts agreed upon were signified to the two Princesses of Narsinga who though then very young told their Father they consented to the marriages but on this condition that their husbands happening to die before them if they made not voluntary sacrifice of themselves it should not be imputed an infamy to them because they were unacquainted with them This was agreed to and the Nuptials consummated to the generall joy of all men for the common peace accompanied them and great feasting there was every where The one of these Princes stayed with his Lady in Narsinga the other went to possesse the Province of Verma lands spaciously divided so as a long time they were without inter-view visiting each other onely by missius and presents of value or curiosity Now it fell out the King of Tazatay was engaged in a sharp war with the King of Mandranella and sent to the two Brother-Princes his Sons for aid who both hastening with a good strength of Souldiers one knowing nothing of the other the one declining his direct way marched up to the enemy and in a bloudy fight defeated him thence went to present himself to his Father but by sad destiny on the morrow his Brother arriving from Verma with his Lady in the evening came secretly into the Town to visit a Lady once their ancient Mistresse the other Brother being on the same design they met at the Ladies gate by night not knowing one another where furious with jealousie after some words they drew and killed each other One of them dying amongst many other things said he gave humble thanks to God that he had prevented the direfull destiny of his Horoscope in not making him the assassine of his Brother as 't was prejudicated Hereupon the other finding him by his voice and discourse drawing near his end himself crept to him and embraced him with tears and lamentations and so both dolefully ended their dayes together The Father being advertized of it seeing his white haires led by his own fault to so hard a fortune overborn with grief and despair came and slew himself upon the bodies of his Sons and with the grief and tears of all the people were buried all three in the same monument which shews us the danger of too great curiosity nor is it an easie question how this can be found by knowledge of the stars or if they are things inevitable which I leave to be decided by the more learned But before I end this Chapter I shall observe that amongst such a diversity of Idols as well of the great Corcouitas who is the principal and most ancient on whom all the others depend as of the Oysima the promotor of all things and diverse other strange and horrible shapes every one with Temples and Sacrifices peculiar amongst all this they have as I said the image of the blessed Virgin with her infant which with lighted lamps they honour reverently These lamps are not of glasse but Talc stone of which they have abundance whole mountains at one point of the Countrey eastward They work it very artificially and make of it severall sorts of Utensills compounding the mettle Calin so much esteemed through the Indies from Persia as far as China like silver but as easily melted as tin Of this they likewise make their windowes and lantorns lantorns they likewise make of the triple coloured tortoise shell I spoke of before I omitted to tell you that for their dances they use a sort of pans which being wel handled yeild an elegant melody but to play well requires long practice They have other Musicall instruments not of use in Europe amongst the rest a sort of pans flat and double the cover whereof stands two fingers distant set with wyar strings they call it a Hydrac it is tedious and difficult to learn For the quality of their yeares I could not well understand their manner of account but in generall I find they reckon by Moones as the greater part of the east and their dayes by the sun out of these Moones they raise five dayes allowing thirteen Moones to the year and the fift day being come about midnight they make a solemn sacrifice in their Temples where they universally meet I conferd with some about this matter who told me the Peguan year was like that they use in China which is Lunary and that they compare it as neer as may be to the Solary for their year consisting of twelve moneths twice in five years they gain a Lunary month making that year of thirteen Moones so as they have no knowledg of the golden number nor the nineteen years circle and the anticipation of one hour and twenty eight minutes which remits the new Moones to the golden number with them is accommoded by the annuall supputation for they neither have nor will have a perpetuall Calander but at great charge print every year a new one which they send through all the Provinces of China It may be our Peguans would imitate this after their fashion and according to their understanding which is very weak for such matters which the best wits amongst us find task hard enough Of the Philosophy of the Indians and their opinions in Astronomy and Geography I shall say something hereafter Before I leave the state of Pegu I will not omit what some of the Peguans told me and have mentioned in writing in their Travailes That some yeares before we arrived there was in the Countrey a King of the ancient Royall Race who had many Deputies in the Countrey of Bramaa towards the Lake Chiamay amongst the rest one in the Kingdom of Tangu that rebelled against him defeated and slew him and made himself King of
them when their keeper speaks to them they will moove their great ears to understand what he sayes They are decently lodg'd and as at Pegu fed in silver vessels The better sort of people live after the Persian way their houses ennobled with gold and azure They have onely one lawfull wife but divers concubines who go richly apparelled their face vail'd in the streets as in Spain and Italy but within door their faces are uncovered and are very sociable They are Gentiles and Idolaters and easie to be dealt withall If a Merchant make stay in Town he shall have a couple of young women will furnish him with a house and all necessaries and serve him like slaves nay 't is lawfull to beat and chastize them if they do not what they are commanded having once submitted to it They go well apparelled and decent as may be are very affable dance and sing well preserve a Merchants goods with great care Larceny amongst them being held a notorious ignominy Almost all the women are clothed in white as all the Inhabitants men and women in Arabia Felix We lay in the Town of Canarena at one Chamuts a Brokers house who had two Unicorns horns one whereof had half the head remaining to it We put the end in water to see if 't would make it boyle as the horn doth but I thought it boyled more vivaciously and it came out like pearle I asked him if he ever saw of these creatures alive he told me he never saw but two which were very young and not come to have hornes That the King going a hunting took one of them but they could not take the damme whatsoever they could do because as they say they shun and fly from the aspect and presence of a man and the places where the Serpents haunt whereof we spoke before who make a cruel warre upon them for greedinesse of their blood which is said to be of excellent scent as it hath been divers times proved particularly when one was sent by their Prince to the King of Pegu which stung by a fly the bloud which issued out was put in a bottle and brought to the King who made no great esteem of it not finding the scent agreeable though notwithstanding he found it more odorous then Civet This the Sensal or Broker told us I my self saw a perfect Unicorn in the King of Regues Seraglio who had the tongue differing from other beasts very long and jagged the head more like a horse then a hart and there are of several haires The Keeper said 't is but an uncleanly beast delights in his own soyle and that having often seen him drink he never observed him to put his horn in the water The Indians report many other things of them but so strange and various there is no great assurance as that they breed but once in their life-time and like Elephants go two yeares with their young and the like A Bramin an order Kings themselves hold it an honour to be of told me once with a protestation laying his hand on the wreath of his order that he was present with the King of Casubi at the taking of one of these Unicorns which was all white and very old the chops so hanging down all her teeth were seen that she was so fierce in her owne defence she broke her horn amongst the boughs that being taken they brought her bound to the Kings Pallace but being so bruised with blowes for having hurt the Kings Nephew she would not eat and so died within five dayes which shewes she is a cholerick and sullen beast The Queens had bracelets made of the bones as Indian Ladies have a curiosity in wearing bracelets of Ivory and the like The King of Casubi reserved the horne of this beast to himselfe about five moneths after being at this Princes Court who was both courteous and curious I desired the Sieur de la Courb one of our own company to request the favour we might see this horne which he did and the King immediately sent for it and gave it him and the Sieur in requital gave him a delicate watch This horne was of different colour to those I had seen in the Sultan of Mecaes Serallio and other places for this drew neare a white gray whereas the other were of a black gray I have been told that Lewis de Bartheme in his travailes recounts how he saw at the Seldans of Meca in Arabia two of these Unicornes which were sent him by the King of Aethiopia high as a two year old colt of a dark colour the head like a Hart the horne three fathome long a little Mane small legges cloven feet and a Goats cley likewise the English and the Hollanders report that in their last voyage towards Spiteberg in a place called Horendsond they found Unicornes hornes not knowing of what beast they were The Prince of Casubi moreover shewed us his Ladies bracelets made of the other piece of this horn which had a very sweet scent He shewed us likewise the bones of an intire head which one of his Princes kept in a Cabinet and divers other curiosities amongst the rest an Estrif that which we call a Griffin but the head was wanting because at the time it was killed it fell amongst brakes so thick and thorney they could not finde it till the morrow by which time the Marmosets had eaten the whole head the feet were of strange length and the Tallons would well have seized a bushel his plume was white and reddish upon the brest they have but two feet and a Tallon is a good halfe ell long from one end to the other I have seen of them of prodigious strength and furiously ravenous that would have carried away a calfe of six moneths old and eaten him There are abundance of them about the lake Chiammay whereof we spoke before From Canarana we made some dayes to Mandranella a fair Town fifty leagues from Tasatay upon Zingis a large and deep river that bears great vessels They traffick with the Tabins or Chineses and the people of Bugazan come thither for all necessaries This is the residence of the grand Caleferech of Pegu whereof we spoke before All persons of quality that passe this way go kisse the Princes buskin who is as affable and courteous as may be There is another Town of the same name in Indostan towards Persia above six hundred leagues from this In this countrey there is a sort of domestical fowle they call Bouiagui which live for the greater part in the water and feed on what is thrown them such as have house and lands upon the river keep abundance of them being of little charge and great profit he who can get two hundred of them thinks himself wealthy for he needs no more then one little lad to drive them a field with a basket to gather up the eggs whereof he will not loose one for they sit down to
unload upon the ground as they were nuts without hurting the least grain upon the trees there is abundance of Manna which they gather diligently before sun rising for it dissipates and vanishes so soon as the sun rayes come upon it They sell it very cheap though it is very purgative I remember that gathering some once of a tree that resembles our salleyes I thought I had taken Scammony In these parts people live long sometimes above a hundered and fifty yeares and they who retire beyond the Mountain live yet longer The Town is crossed with the great river Paroget stored with Merchandizes of all sorts and a good company of Merchants There is a vast space incircled with walls as at Goa in the middle whereof stands the Pallace Royall where there is kept a great market and where every Saturday all sorts of Marchandizes are brought chiefly ermyn skins and Martins of three kinds very exquisite The mountains round about are stocked with cattle and venison the inhabitants being great hunters and given to nothing but to husband their land and make profit of their commodity women when they work wear buskins and the Otoyac shooes They make in their houses great store of cloth for their use and decent living Likewise they make a thousand delicates and artificers of Cocos as flaskets baskets boxes mats of diverse colours singularly wrought this fruit serving them for meat drink and all other humane necessities They are exceedingly addicted to Idolatry and fond superstitions testifying much religion and devotion in their ceremonies and affectionate to their Priests who are married they have a sort of remarkable confession which holds something of Christianism Before the great day of jubily which they make at their Oyzima they go to a lake to wash themselves where they stay some part of the night then wrap themselves in sheets of cotton they call Bambou and retire under trees where there hangs abundance of lights The day of confession being come they go to their Catibe or Priest and falling on their knees throw off their mantle which they wear on the bare shirt then presenting some small matter to the Priest confesse their sins and the Priest with a small ball made of a root beats them often repeating Gazay that is speak speak Confession ended he enjoyns them a penance and again they go to wash in the lake and after all they go in procession together with their Idols which they bear along likewise in procession when they have gone quite round the Town the Priests cry out Go eat in the name of our God and his peace be upon you all then kissing in sign of peace and such as have had any difference or animosity betwixt them embrace and kisse weeping as heartily as for the greatest matter that could befall them Whereupon their friends and kindred come to comfort them telling them they must forget all so as thus reconciled they go dine together and continue ever after perfect friends They take not easily offence one of another never using bad language one of another These Priests esteem us polluted people and I remember that some of them once conferring with us washed their garments and would not eat of the meat we had touched All the people are much addicted to sciences and manual arts The soyle is good and fertile and their land bears twice a year as their sheep do likewise Being there we came acquainted with a Christian Merchant born at Aracan expert in Greek in the Abissine Syriack and the Spanish language who was converted at Diu. He took much satisfaction in our company and told us how his mother was an Abissine and that his Father dying young she bred him up to Greek and Abissine and shewed me a Greek Author he ever carried with him where he met with many worthy Histories amongst others how the Christian faith was brought into the Indies and particularly into this Countrey of Casubi That St. Thomas was to preach to the Parthians and at Bengala St. Matthew in Ethiope and St. Bartholomew in the further India towards the Kingdome of Verma Aua Pegu and other places Since that about three hundred yeares after a Christian Philosopher Native of Tyre in Phenicia by name Meropius came into the Indies with two young Children his Nephews called Edesius and Frumentius out of curiosity onely to see the Country at the example of another Philosopher called Metrodorus some years before and that having well view'd and considered those Countries about to return his vessel was assaulted by the barbarous Idolaters and he and all his slain except the two young youths who were brought to the King of Casubi and he taken with their Gentilesses caused them to be brought up carefully afterwards made Aedesius his Cup-bearer and the other Frumentius Steward of his houshold whereof they did both acquit themselves very worthily and to the Kings content who loved them exceedingly as also the Queen Arsinda and her onely son The King dying the Queen became Regent with her onely son who had a speciall favour for the two Christians to whose charge the King had committed his Son for instruction till he came to age wherefore the Queen had a speciall regard of them and they behaved themselves laudably in their office all this while continuing in the right Religion reaping still some benefit amongst such Christians as came into those parts who were Merchants or Roman negotiators whom they ever confirmed in their faith and by permission royall they built a kind of Church or Oratory to meet and make their prayers in Notwithstanding wanting such freedome as they desired and inclining to their naturall Countrey the young King being now of age to reign they requested his license and whatsoever the King or his Mother could say to disswade them they could not prevaile they aiming to carry neither gold silver nor other wealth with them So they both came back into the Roman Empire and the Aedesius retired to Tyre his native Countrey where he became Priest We staid some time at Casubi to sell and truch our Marchandises where we made good profit and amongst other things of some safron we had of which they make no other use then to die their nailes mingling it with brasill whereby they make a dainty colour There are men and women that make incisions in their Armes with a pointed piece of wood out of which wood they get fire putting the end of one of these sticks in the cleft of another and turning it hard about till smoak and fire come In these incisions they then paint what they list in severall colours and ordinarily cover it with a pole-cat skin newly flawed which makes the colours more lively without ever fading CHAP. XXXV Of Macharana the hunting of Tigars and other wild beasts a History of a Rhinocerot of the Escuriall The esteem they have for the French there FRom Casubi we took our way
a Merchant of Drogomania told me a Country confining Eastward upon these Kingdomes the deserts of Arabia are little in comparison to them and when I told him the fourty tedious days it cost us betwixt Suria and Medina through the deserts of Arabia he answered this was nothing in respect since by the help of guides they might here and there find a well whereas in the deserts of Asia in two and twenty dayes journey together nothing was to be found but sand and that one day as he travailed along with the convoy by misfortune one of the jarrs of water broke which was a great mischiefe to them and a very important losse being forced for want of it to kill one of their Camells to drink the loathsome water within him and eat his flesh He told me then for more commodious passage above all things it was necessary to provide good beasts and chiefly Persian Asses the best beast the world affords for carriage and the most proper for those wayes and are worth as much as a good horse That after these sands they came to huge Mountains absolutely barren which in my opinion must needs be mineralls but they try them not they are so far distant and the way so troublesom I observed in my East and Western voyages that where the Mines of gold silver and precious stones where the Mountains were ordinarily barren having nothing growing about them as they observe of the Calanfour or clove which suffers no plant near it The Merchant observed likewise that in these Mountains which must be those the Ancients called Juac dividing high and low Asia there are abundance of serpents of prodigious bignesse but are more advantage then damage to them for being free from venom and of an excellent substance and nourishment they eat there nothing else As I remember I saw in the Mountains of Syr in Africa For passing these Mountains and lodging with the Arabians under their tents 't was our admiration to see huge serpents play with children who would give them morsells of bread But to return to our Tartarian Merchant he told me that having passed this Mountainous Country they came to another desert of twenty dayes over void of all food where he was constrained to stray a good dayes journey to hunt for water and other commodities and this too with weapon in hand because there lives a certain Horde or nation of Shepherds or Tartars Nomades who keep huge Mastifes the most fierce and bloody in the world which indeed have more of the wolf then the dog they keep these dogs to destroy passengers on the way to which they train them for diet for themselves He told me that about three yeares before this breed of Rascals were almost all devoured by their own dogs after their cruell usage of certain Merchants who passed that way these to revenge themselves made an Ambush and having taken them served them as they had done others He told me many other curiosities of this country and amongst others that about twenty years before he passed by the Isle of Volmous or Ayman near to Cauchinchina and the country of the Meores that the people are haughty great souldiers well clothed and very civil lovers of honour and vertue and of complexion rather white then black that the land is full of impenitrable Forests but well stor'd with Venison and betwixt the Mountains good pasturadge that they had there a potent King by the title of Emperour on the day of his birth wearing on his head three Crowns in form of a Tiara for the three kingdomes he possessed that this Prince was King of Sinabo the Magers and Patanes Amongst other particulars of this country he related to me a strange History if it be true Thus that in a mountanous country vulgarly called Ismanca very fertile where there are clownes very wealthy in cattell whereof they drive a great trade as also in skins of divers beasts there was a rich shepherd called Ismahan who amongst other children had a daughter of excellent beauty who according to the custome of the country kept her fathers flocks This maid of twenty yeares of age loved a young shepherd her neighbour and kinsman but poor and to whose Father the rich shepherd had sent some corn who seeing he could not be paid and being aware of his daughters affection he told his debtor that on condition he would send his son to live in some remote parts he would forgive the debt which the other did the young man being thus banished by force the maid was extremely afflicted and as one day she walked alone in the fields lamenting the absence of her beloved Liza so he was called a Fiend in the same shape appeared to her and demanded for whom she was so much tormented since she had him assuredly present and that he loved her more then the world besides Some say this poor young man being banished the presence of his dear Mistresse sought out a Magician who promised he should see and enjoy her but bringing into a room to him a spirit in the form of the maid as the spirits of joy and love made him fly to embrace her the Demon strangled him afterwards taking the shape or rather the body of the dead youth continued his visits a long time to the maid whereof her Father and Brothers having notice resolved to surprize him and in effect breaking up her chamber door they found a stinking carcasse in bed by her at which both she and the rest were extremely frighted and the King of the country having notice of it sent for the maid to know the truth which she related as it was The King sent her to live with an Aunt of his where they say the Devil still frequented her and would visit her publickly in the shape of her friend wherein she took extreme content nor could she be disswaded from his conversation How I know not but they say she conceived and was delivered of two children who grown up became the most valiant and strong in the country so as since spirits are incapable of generation as the best Divines conclude we may suppose this was the youth himself who by the Magicians means enjoyed the maid and was afterwards killed by the devil that abused him and indeed some authentick authours mention such another History of one Phillinnion and Machetus and others But let us come back to Tartary where I learnt many other things of one Amador Baliora a Limner with whom I met coming back from Pegu and saw good part of his Memorials He had been in the Indies twelve or thirteen years and had drawn the plots of several Towns excellently well insomuch as having escaped shipwrack and arrived in health at Diu when all his company was hanged for his qualification the Governour saved his life and he drew him many exquisite pictures for which he gave him five hundred Croysades He had about fifty
draughts of the principal townes in the Indies Persia and Tartary and had leave of the Vice-roy to draw the plots of as many more as he would his design being to compile them in a large volume and present it to the King of Spain but I understood afterwards that returning for Europe he died upon the sea of Scarbut and for that his Comerade had disgusted him he would not give him his memorials and draughts but by Testament bequeathed them to the Captain of the ship he was in Joseph Grogne a Portuguese esteemed a Jew though he dissembled the Christian The Memorials was a great losse for besides the draughts there was abundance of remarkable singularities he had noted in his travailes whereof the Captain made small account for that he had written them in French which he understood not and withall in an imperfect and bad character But the plots and draughts were excellently done and besides the deliniation of the towns he had drawn the inhabitants and their garments to the life I drew some my self though rudely which is not hard to compasse THE SECOND PART OF THE TRAVAILES OF VINCENT le BLANC IN AFRICA CHAP. I. A generall Description of AFRICA HAving left the East Indies as I said in the former part of this work towards the end and having taken the road of Africa Westward the first land we came on was the Isle of S. Laurence Before I relate the particulars either of this Isle or other places I have seen in Africa I conceive it not improper to draw a general Description of this third part of the Universe as well for that I have traversed it from one end to the other in three severall voyages as to shew the errour of modern Geographers who in their Maps of Africa have left out more then fifty kingdoms or Provinces of note as I sometime made appear to the late Mr. du Vair then chief President of the Province and afterwards Keeper of the Great Seale of France And first to take it from the streight of Gibraltar or rather from Porto Farina towards Tunes to the Cape Bona Esperanza the greatest extent from North to South there is found to be seventy degrees which are above two thousand leagues And from Cape-Verd to Cape de Guardafu or Guardafy from East to West there is near upon eighty Degrees which are about two thousand five hundred leagues of Teritory comprehending a space most prodigious such as our Europe is a very small matter in comparison of the greatest part lying betwixt the two Tropicks the rest on this side and beyond For from the kingdom of Budonell passing through the Negres lyes Eastward the Empire of Tombut or Tombotu by the Arabians called Iza containing thirteen large kingdomes watered by the famous River Nigrite or Niger with Senega a part of Guinee Melli and many other Countreyes as far as the Cape Verdi The people here so savage they scarce know how to speak so sordid they eat beast-entrailes uncleansed and so brutish they are more like ravenous dogs then men of reason The people toward the Western Coast are better civilized in the Provinces of Gavaga Azemay Galata by the Arabians called Abugazai or Zenaga and Azanaga and on the Coast of Cape-blanc where they drive a great trade in white salt Senega where the River Niger waters large territories abounds in Crocodills and fish with which it furnishes Budonel Meli Gago Guber Agades Cano Gazena or Cassena Zegzog Zanfara Burneo or Borno Gangara Gaoga and others where it reaches The kingdome of Gangara contains seven others as that of Borneo nine who to gain a single dominion have often come to Battell but in the end satiated with blood were constrained to agree again Then have you the kingdomes or Temian Daouma Medra Benin Gorbani Giafiar or Biafar Amas or Amasen which towards the South fronts Damula and Vangue lying towards the Zaire From Senega towards the North we find Scombaya Musmuda Zenera or Havia Gumea Guzula Hea Sus with others called the Whites of Africa who speak not Arabian but use the tongue of Songay as they term it Likewise the usuall Language in Nueâ—edia through the kingdomes of Terga Gaziga Lemta and Berdoa These people have a black or gray cloth hanging from their Turbith over their face that while they eat their mouth may not be seen which were a great incivility There are moreover the Countries of Guzulan Belu Benin Belbee Toga Afar Alates Crin Beni Gumi Muzali Abubenam Zuir Cazai Dura Zinzaler and others The vast kingdome of Fezor Morocco contains Agar or Agal Elebat Eris Geres Elcanus Elegazar or Elgezair with the kingdomes of Tâ—nes Bugie Constantine â—ipoli Telensin Tremesen Telche Teâ—esâ—e c. There is here a River which issuing from the bowels of Africa passes through many countries and threads Fesse where it seâ— three hundred and threescore mill-wheels of extraordinary compasse at work and gliding from thence under Miquinâ— and Elcassour throwes it self in sea at Mamocre under Arache little distant from Arzille Towards Tombut and Meli on the other side Senega lyes the wide-stretcht kingdome of Gago the King whereof is highly potent compelling in a manner adoration from his people who how great soever speak not to him but on knees holding in their hand a cup of sand which they cast on their head while they prostrate before him and retire without tergiversation He affords not audience to his subjects but at certain houres morning and evening and when they are found guilty in any crime he chastises them with confiscation of goods and sale of their wives and children for slaves to strangers The two great Rivers Niger or Gambra and Senega Wash a very great part of the country overflowing in the same sort and times as Nile doth Budomel which is in like manner a River of the same denomination as the country it travailes through unites it self with Gambra and the kingdome of Melli is upon a branch of Senega environed with dismal deserts and impenetrable Forests This river on the North and South is banked with the Deserts of Gilolef and Jalofel on the West it hath the vast Forest of Abacara and Gago on the West Next you come to Guber Mount Chigi or Gigi or Sierra de Meleguete then Guinga or Guinee or Guinoy These people are all black like quenched coles Salt in the kingdome of Gago is more precious then gold which there abounds as likewise Fruit and Cattle Guber abutts Northward on Cano Eastward on Zeger or Zegzeg a woody and desert country peopled with an infinite heard of beasts In these Deserts you meet with Cassena then drawing towards the Cape of bona Esperonza You enter upon the kingdomes of Benin and Zanfara under the Equatour well inhabited containing in length two hundred and forty leagues where from mid May to the middle of August it rains for the most part and almost constantly from noon till mid-night as I have
Priest in our company and being brought to one called Chaousandre who afterwards became a Capchin he confessed to him and told us that he had formerly travailed three hundred leagues to finde one to confesse to but at that time he was not in capacity for voyages of that length being guide of a family that he had but one single wife though fully as perverse as she was faire and deprived of the light of Religion as the rest of his houshold were He feasted us at his home with great kindenesse and we presented him with a Roman Primmer which he held in high esteem for the pictures onely for our characters were unknown to him nor did he understand our language He bestowed upon us a Girafe and a sheep all white but the head which was black as they are all in that countrey For Girafes they are docile beasts white and spotted with red their fore-feet very short in proportion to the hinder with a Deers head and very short horns there is great store of them in the land of Cefala CHAP. IV. The Country of Monbaze Melinde and Quiloa the nature of the Inhabitants and the respect they bear their PRINCE HAving left Bulgara we run all along that stretched forth coast of Ethiope where we visited Melindo Monbaze Quiloa Mozambique Cefala and other Townes for truck of our commodities The country of Monbaze takes name from a Town and Island so called which on the East hath the vast Indian sea on the North Melinde on the South Quiloa and Westward the spacious lake of Zaflan and the kingdome of Xoa belonging to the King of Abyssins Heretofore this kingdome was subject to a great Prince styled the King of Monemuge neighbouring to Ethiope Monatapa and Mozambique As for Monbaze 't is a Town about the rate of Monpellier built almost after the Italian model the people are of Olive colour affable courteous and well apparelled specially the women who delight in rich apparel There is a good Sea-port strong and much frequented by the Indians who drive a great trade in spices drugges and precious stones which much enriches the place and brings a great conflux of people from Zanzbar Penda Agair and other parts of Africa There is gold silver precious stones and Ivory in great quantity The country abounds in good fruit of all sorts particularly in Citrons and Oranges of prodigious bignesse and of excellent taste whereof the rind is sweet and good to eat There are likewise Peaches without stones but of little savour Pomegranates exceeding large and above all excellent waters fresh and light herein surpassing Quiloa which is defective The People are of a sweet disposition contrary to other Maritime places where the natives are ordinarily mutinous and litigious We had there an Host called Francesco Cosmel of complexion between black and white as he were born of a Father black and a Mother white he gave us testimonies of a generous soule and seemed to be of good extraction He lodged us in the chief chamber of the house hanged with Matte both walls and floore with abundance of well-wrought cushions with an artificial fountain on one side which water'd little trees where was a whole flight of birds of Paradise male and female which contrary to the common opinion had feet as I said elsewhere whereupon I shall relate a pleasant passage which befell us My companion resolving to go to a jolly town not far thence to put off some Safron which he had was taken with an extreme cholick which made him go to stool oftner then he would in our chamber there was a little Cistern full of pure water he finding himself pressed and conceiving this Cistern to be a place of purpose for discharge seats himself on it By misfortune there was a young maid washing clothes who finding this nasty showre fall upon her began to cry out and I that knew what the matter was immediately went out pretending I had something to buy so as my companion who suspected nothing was amazed when he saw two slaves fall upon him with cudgels who cured his disease with a new sort of Cataplasme Returning up again I saw this lucky adventure and my companion as well as he could defending himself In fine after many excuses the matter was taken up by mediation of twenty seven Miticales each being in value four French Livers which my companion was forced to pay for mundifying the Cistern True it is he was cured of his cholick but so ashamed of the accident he had not confidence to suppe with us The Territory of Monbaze is of no great extent confining on one side on the Town of Orgaba or Orgabea seated on the river Onchir which runs to powre it self into Nile near Mount Amara where the kingdome of Melinde begins having Amara on the North and Monbaze on the East The common diet of the country is honey and rice their drink Areta Fatigar and Belinganze which they keep in great Oxe hornes cut in severall figures that they may be the more useful This sort of vessel is much used in the Ethiopian Court as well for their capacity as their not being liable to break especially with the Monbazians who neverthelesse will make no use of any but of a beast that had his throat cut deriving this custome from the Jews In their traffick with Merchants they apply charms to force them to their intent a thing I never observed in any other nation When notice comes that some neighbour Prince hath sent Embassadours to their King upon affaires of importance they doe then much more They take a wilde goat by them called Machorati and having laid some charmes upon it mounted upon his Elephant the Prince passes three times over him with most horrible cries and imprecations which their Labis or Priests pronounce against their Singiscan or Demon Then having made three cries more in manner of prayer they require to know if this Embassadour comes for Peace or Warre if it be answered for Peace they march before him with abundance of perfumes and signes of joy and being arrived at the Town the perfumes are cast into the water to shew that all this was only to do him honour and to endear him But if it be for Warre they testify the plain contrary I have heard since my return that the town and Port of Monbaze is by the Portugals taken and demolished For a draught of Melinde which is a kingdom lying above Monbaze and subject to the same King the Capitall Town of the same name is scituate on the sea in two degrees and a halfe beyond the Line the Port is at some distance by reason that on the water side 't is pester'd with many craggy rocks which render the landing dangerous The country abounds in all sorts of Fruits and Viands bread excepted instead whereof they make use of Parates which are both good and wholesom They have likewise variety of flesh which they roast and
dresse in several manners the fruits excell and chiefly the Melons called there Dormous admirable in taste which they eat not but in Summer because they are excessive cooling and as it were freeze the stomack being neverthelesse not ill of digestion or causing chollicks what quantity soever one eats They are for the most part Idolaters except some Mahometans who dissemble their Religion for which cause the Prince hath but a sinister look for them This Prince hath a high veneration from his people who subjugate their shoulders for his support burn perfumes to him when he appeares in publick as they do likewise for all Princes or Potentates who come to visit them But indeed this Prince is most laudable in this particular that he himself will take cognizance of whatsoever is acted by his Governours and Magistrates and if any one impleads other before him it behoves him on the price of his head to be assured of the fact When a complaint is made to him immediately he sends for the party accused If he be a Noble man when he arrives at the Palace gate he gives notice to the Officers of his presencce by the sound of a Cornet who cause him to ascend single before the Prince who with great patience hears hoth parties in presence of his Council If â—oth are found culpable the inferiour is remitted to the ordinary Justice who punisheth him with stripes of cudgell the Grandee is punished by fine But if the Noble-man prove only guilty the King leads him to his chamber where being disrobed prostrate on the ground craving pardon he receives from the Kings own hand certain stripes with a cudgell more or fewer in proportion to the crime and services he hath done Which done he revests kisses the Kings feet and with all humility thanks him for the favour received Then without further shew of any thing attends the King to his Hall who in presence of all the Court gives him a dismission and recommends â—o him administration of Justice to his people causes him to be accompanied out of town with ordinary ceremony so as what hath passed is not perceived by any and this Grandee returns as well content as if he had received a rich treasure The charges of suit are defrayed out of the Kings Coffers or if he please by the criminall without the knowledge of any one When as this King who by his subjects is esteemed a Saint makes a progresse into the Country he is mounted on a horse richly trapp'd and going out of his Palace passes over a new kill'd heifer where the people raise a loud outcry and instantly go view the entrails of the beast to judge by sorcery if this voyage shall be successeful or no. When he makes entrance into any town all the fairest Ladies walk before him with censers of perfumes burning in their hands some singing his encomiums others melodiously playing on Basons with fine nods endeavouring to render themselves as complaisant as possibly they can To conclude their territories confine upon the country of Zangueliac and Ethiopia Aquiloa is a Kingdome with an Isle and a Town of the same appellation where the Portugals have a Fort the Governour whereof drives a main trade by means of the vessels he sends for the Indies The King of Quiloa was Lord heretofore of Mozambique All these are countries of Zanguebar or Zanzibar which comprehends that large extent of ground which lyes between the Oriental and Occidental seas of the people called Cafres Zanzibar properly speaking is an Island which faces directly Monbaze but the country I intend to speak of is Zanguebar named so by the Arabians because in their language this word Zangue signifies black and this country for the greatest part is inhabited by Blacks Mark Pol esteems it an Island of above a thousand leagues in circuit being water'd with many rivers making as it were an Island Concerning the Town of Quiloa 't was built as Tradition sayes above six hundred years past by one Hali son of Hocen King of Siras in Persia who came to live there Women here go exceeding well arrayed richly adorned with Jewels and Ivory bracelets quaintly wrought which upon death of husband and allies they break in signe of sorrow as the men forbear to eat and shave their hair as I before recounted of the East Indies CHAP. V. Of Mozambique the nature of the Inhabitants Cefala Mines of gold in Ophir Belugara HAving passed by Viada where the people for the best part dwell upon the river Dumes or Humes since the vast inundation of this and other rivers in the country upon the day of Saint Abiblicane we entered the kingdome of Mozambique this River runs towards the East passing by the foot of the Mountain Zet out of which issues one of the heads of Nile the other from the Mount Betzoan which ancients called the Mountains of the Moon streaming towards the points Maestro and Tramontanus The branch which runs Southward is divided not far from the head by a rock into two streams the one watering the land of Sefala the other running to disgorge it self in the sea right over against the Isle of Saint Laurence Mozambique is a small Island hard upon the firm land with a Haven and a Fort of the Portugals within fifteen degrees of the Line 'T was subject to the King of Quiloa till the Portugals became Masters where now in their voyages from Portugal to the Indies is one of their securest harbours to rest and refresh themselves The greatest part of the Inhabitants who are all Blacks professe Mahometisme the rest Idolatry They upon the firm land are absolute brutes going stark naked their privities only covered with a cotten cloth Adorers of the Sun like them of Sephala speaking the same language as they their traffick is Gold Ivory and Ebony their chief food the flesh of Elephants They delight much to parget their bodies with a reddish earth perswading themselves that so dawb'd the world shewes not finer men The better sort paint themselves with a certain Folliage which to make azure they use Indico and other compounds There are amongst them who bore their lips like the Americans enchasing some delicate stone Some say this countâ—y in times past depended upon Ethiopia and and 't was hither Salomon sent his Fleets for gold and that the Queen of Saba stil'd her self likewise Queen of Mozambique and Melindo moreover that their speech resembles in some sort that of Senega Though to speak truth 't is more likelihood Salomon fetched his gold from the mines of Sefala which are not farre thence or may be from the East Indies Touching the country of Cefala or Sefala and Zinguebar which takes up in a sort the whole breadth of that end of Africa even to the Cape of Bona Esperanza which coast is inhabited with Blacks called Cafares or Cafres they appertain to the great Empire of Monomotapa of which we are to speak presently In particular
in such esteem were it for the goodnesse or for Religion that here they would celebrate their Deities festivals and inthrone Alemnon Cephee and Perset mighty and illustrious Kings of this Countrey There was one Melilec who holds the chief renown amongst them who they report to have been the son of Salomon and Mecheda Queen of Saba and of whose race by lineal descent from Father to Son all their Kings to this day report themselves descended I know not how justly it can be proved Howsoever it be the most ancient Histories attest that about the year 521. in the time of Justin the Emperour there was one Elesbaan King of Ethiopia a Christian who subdued Dunaam a Jew King of Arabia the happy who infesting the Homerites being Christians Elesbaan he freed them and being returned into his Countrey became Hermite Afterwards there was another King named Hellisteus a Christian also who entred confidence with Justinian the Emperour and brought famous victories from the Infidels in Arabia These kings made the royal town of Cachumo sometimes called Aucumo their mansion which stil holds the name since those times by reason of the length and difficulty of roads we have had little or no intelligence of the Ethiopian Kings the Turks and Saracins having constant possession of the passages til the voyages of the Portuguese who have given us some light since this latter age As to spiritualty this Countrey hath ever submitted to the direction of the Patriarch of Alexandria who for the danger of coming thither by reason of the Saracins who ruled in Egypt sent them a Prelate called Abuma for Governor as the Patriarch of Antioch sends one into the East called Catholica Some say that in the year 1439. the Abissins came to render obedience and to acknowledge Pope Clement 5. at Auignon that they sent since to the Council of Florence in the year 1439. But 't is more certain that since the Portuguese conversed with them the Kings have made a fuller acknowledgement of the Romane Church As to their Religion though it be Christian yet they retain divers Jewish ceremonies and other heresies received as wel from Pagans as from the heretical Eutiches and Dioscorus sent to them by schismatical Patriarchs from Alexandria whereof at present they begin to be purged and better instructed by the Jesuite Fathers and the Patriarks sent to them from Rome as we find in modern relations For a long time there have regular Religious been in the Countrey and Anchorites of the order of St. Anthony St. Macharius and St. Basile but no Dominicans as some would have us believe From St. Anthonies order is proceeded another they call Estefarrus which must be St. Stephen For the nature of the people they have a strong propensity to vertue and orthodox religion render exact obedience to their Prince and most high veneration to Church and Clergie are severely chast and addicted to pennance and austerity of life very charitable and very hospitable Priests while they celebrate mass are covered with a vail after the Greek manner and the men divided a part from the women in the Church The whole Court lodges alwaies under pavilions in the field rang'd in the form of a Town for places and streets drawn to a direct line where there is assigned for every one a Captain or Justiciar to prevent tumults 't is of great circuit sometimes containing two leagues of land with twelve ports in honour of the Apostles within this circuit there are two Churches one for the Emperour and Nobility of seven or eight hundred paces in circumference the other for the vulgar Within there is one Altar onely and upon it the figure of a Crosse of a gray colour shadowed with a vail of white silk on the middle of the Altar stands a picture of the blessed Virgin in colours betwixt two more of the Apostles St. Peter and St. Paul upon solemn Feasts the Emperours white tent is changed for a red through all the Churches there is said but one Masse a day where there is observed such reverence that 't is not lawfull to spit speak or sit down upon any occasion whatsoever the Temple of our Lord as they say being a place neither for uncleanness nor discourse If one be constrained to passe by on horseback he alights and walks with hat in hand When the Sacrament is elevated one rings a bell of stone the clapper of wood as are all the bells in Ethiope and immediately all fall upon their knees The Emperour himself if he be on horseback alights in haste and continues on his knees till another sign be given The Priest is never seen while he consummates because he is covered and surrounded with a white vail as likewise the people never behold the blessed Sacrament but they bow their face to the ground jogging their bodies in a dancing manner and standing on their toes The Offertory is made at the end of Masse They give the Sacrament to little children as well as others causing them to abstain before The Negus never eats in gold or silver but in vessels of Euate onely which endures no poyson but breaks immediately For wine there is none made but in his Palace or in the Abuma's house As for the Abissine or Nubian language 't is a distinct tongue but much compounded as they say with Hebrew Chaldean Syriack and Arabick words which reaches to the very East by reason of the soft and sweet pronunciation and because 't is plain and easie to learn So the Abissins when they travel as I have often mark'd make themselves easily understood with the Guinoii themselves They use the Chaldaick for sacred matters and sciences in which all their books are written and Masse celebrated as the Abissins do in their Church of St. Stephen of India at Rome in like manner as the Maronites and other Syrians Now for the Rivers in this Countrey there are many very great ones but the principal is the so famous Nile which cuts it from one end to the other sallying as some say out of an unsoundable lake in the Country of Guyame others will have it from the Mountains of the Moon or Cafartes and from Befsi or Zech whence likewise issues the Zaire and the Aquilonde which run Westward and the Zuama southward But the Nile towards the West falls into the lake of Zambra or Zaire and from thence passing betwixt the Kingdoms of Damus and Ambea inclining towards the East then on the other side the Equinoctial enters Beleguanza corporates with another River flowing from the lake Zanflan likewise called the Nile and thence betwixt Bagamidri Vangue and Abiancantiva it visits Tigremabon and having swallowed the Tagazzi or Tecassin and other Rivers swel'd with so many flouds it creates the famous Isle of Meroe with two arms by the Ancients called Astapus and Astaboras at this time Tecassin and Ahambi afterwards re-uniting passes the Tropick Cancer and at Siena or Asma makes the renowned Cataracts
or falls amongst the Mountains which so compresse it that it seems a shot or lightning in quicknesse and thunder in horrid noyse till having crossed Egypt and entertained some Rivers of Nubia branching it self into many streams which compose the so much celebrated fair and fertile Countrey of Delta comes to render it self into the Mediterranean at mouthes and sluces which our Ancestors took for seven others nine at this day the most known and remarkable are those of Damiete Rosete heretofore called Heracleotique and Pelusiaque which compose the two sides of the triangle As to the surfluxes and inundations which fertilize all Egypt and serve instead of fructiferous rains from June to September laying the Countrey like an Archipelagus covered with innumerable little Islands wherein stand their habitations more excelse then the rest which is a piece of water I leave to Philosophers to search the causes who in all ages were much perplext and much divided some attributing it to the dissolving of snows from the Ethiopian mountains where snow never fell others to anniversary winds forcing the waters to remount and so overflow others with more probability to the continual rains of the torrid Zone in this season as I my self have seen it happen all along this Zone to the Indies both East and West Yea there are some who go further for a cause and will have it proceed from winds and furious tempests which at this season rage about the Cape of good Hope swelling the Sea which by certain secret Subterranian channels communicates it self with the Ethiopian Lakes which makes Nile and other Rivers taking birth from thence to surfeit But howsoever it is and whencesoever it proceeds certainly the effect is altogether admirable the encrease lasting fourty daies as likewise the decrease and some say the River Noir or Cambra or Senega do the same The course of this River from birth to dissolution is esteemed to be nine hundred leagues in right line and windings and bosomes considered to be above two thousand which is the longest course of any River in the Universe except the Plate and Maragnon in Brasile CHAP. IX Of the Town of Bagamidri and the coronation of their Kings TO return to our voyage I shal tell you that Bagamidri is a Town in Ethiopia in three degrees of altitude beyond the line in a fair champion upon the River Zuama which disbanks as Nile do's For the kingdom of Bagamidri it reaches to the Tropick watered by Zuama called by the inhabitants Zimbada which crosses the deserts of Manica where are dismal Mountains and goes til it ingulphs it self in the Oriental and Meridian sea composing a most commodious shore where vessels take in fresh-water and fuel Here are abundance of wild goats and small Buls and Cows so fierce that he must be very skilfull that takes them they have little horns which grow but skin-deep mooving them as their ears as I observed in another place This River of Zuama is by the Portugalls called Rio del Spiritu sancto for the content they receive who saile upon it Moreover in passing or bathing in this River there ought great caution to be had and to be well arm'd against the Crocodiles which are here in great numbers nor is the danger on land much lesse for the Tigars of which there are great Troupes and will very sawcily dismount you either from Horse or Mule Towards the West the Countrey borders on Mancigonge Eastward on Cafates to the North it lyes on Gidada which some call the Countrey of Amazons South-ward on Monopotapa The Town of Bagamidri is called Imperial by reason the King of Tigrai or Tigremahon having received his first Crown at the place of his election receives the second here This Ceremonie was first instituted in the time of St. Abiblicanus who lived in a cave near the Town in so high repute that the King who then reigned would have the honour to be crown'd by so great a Saint since which time there is an Ordinance that all the Kings of Tigray shal be crown'd here as the several Crowns of our Emperours were received at Aix Milan and Rome and the third he receives from the hand of the Grand Negus his Soveraign who hath onely a crown of silver whereas the King of Tigray hath his of inestimable value Here I shal tell you by the way that in Tigramahon I saw a Church of one intire piece wrought in a Rock near to Tecassin which they call the Church of Creatures for that 't is dedicated to the four Evangelists In the lower Ethiopia there is the like which they call the Maiant Calassen that is the Seat of Eternity For the Kingdome of the Amazons they report it to be betwixt the country of Damut and Gorage or Goraga and Gongara where they recount many things not unlike the stories of our Ancestors as that the women have the authority are exceeding valiant and excellent Archers that they cut off their right breast to draw a how the better with other things of that kinde There is mention made of the like women in many other parts of the world Some say the word Amazon is derived from a country belonging to the Negus or Monopotapa near Mancinconge where the women are of great courage though the men are Masters and Preste John makes use of them in his warres In this country stands the faire city Felucia or Falacia where they say is a sumptuous Tombe of a Princesse called Agagina built all of a black marble clear and transparent as glasse The people of these countries are of severall complexions according to the place that gives them breath For under the line they are neither white nor black but of a swart tawny colour though the world affords not a more temperate climate then they are under They who live Westward from the countrey of Agagne to Ambian are intirely black and four degrees from the Line troubled with excessive raines for three moneths together But they of the Province of Zembre are more white and very docile especially the women who are passably beautifull and gracefull and good Christians though they were the last that received the faith since the Eunuch baptized by Saint Philip planted it in the better part of the Provinces of Ethiope and as some will have in Arabia the happy it self and as far as Tuprobane CHAP. X. Of the Mansion of Preste John and his Justice A History upon this subject BEing at Bagamidri some of us more curious then the rest of our company agreed to go see the Court of the Grand Negus or King of the Abissins and to this purpose leaving them that had no such desire we took a side-way towards the towns Barra and Barua where we were told the Prince most commonly resided Following on this road and having crossed many Provinces and Kingdomes at length we arrived at Barra the chief town of the Country where we found a numerous multitude of people
from a mountain of sand of excessive height I saw since near the Town of Lima or of Rois in Poru which exalting to an extraordinary height amongst many other hills never alters or diminishes for any wind or storm that can assault it a thing much admired by all men and for this the Indians adore it as divine but of this we shall with Gods leave speak in another tract of a voyage to the West-Indies But returning to the sands of Egypt 't is thence the greatest part of Mummy or flesh buried and rosted in the sand is gotten which the wind uncovering the next passenger brings to town for trade it being very medicinable Here you see a dead man is often more serviceable to the living then the living themselves yet some approve not of the physick But howsoever embalmed flesh is prefer'd before it for the Aromatick drugs the Egyptians used for preservation of dead bodies wherein they were at great charge and study whether for their hope of resurrection or for the opinion of some Philosophers that soules should so long live after departure as the bodies remain intire and incorrupt for which cause they seasoned and embalmed them with Bitumen Salt Frankincense Myrrhe and other Aromaticks and bodies thus embalmed and preserved for many ages by the Arabians are called Mummies To proceed the land of Egypt is highly renowned for a very potent and wealthy kingdom where some say heretofore have been reckoned 20. thousand wall'd towns to entertain the infinite multitude of Inhabitants she had in those dayes but now there remaines but little of all this The first Kings of the world were their Rulers from whom they derive their lines of so many thousand fabulous years Their first and kings were called in the Scripture by the generall name of Pharoes then the Persians became their Masters afterwards the Greeks then at last the Romans till the Saracins got them under their Califes and Soudans and the Turks for this last age The ayre is good and temperate the soyle fertile and abounding in all commodities but so plentiful of corn that 't was held the Granary of Rome in her chiefest glory in medals of antiquity Egypt was still figur'd with ears of corn The country about Caire they call Sabida heretofore Sais and Egypt taken together Chibib in Heibrew Mitfraim by the name of the son of Chus who first possessed it thence the Arabians at this day call it Mesre The region called Delta from the triangular form is the fertile part of it because 't is water'd and cut through by seven branches or armes of Nile This country is exceeding fertile throughout but the rest from Caire to Ethiopia is not so but only along the Nile for three or four leagues on each side where the river flows the rest is sandy parched and waste except some places where the river comes in channels which they say were heretofore the work of Joseph son of Jacob. CHAP. XXI Of the Town of Alexandria the Isle of Malta and the Authours return to Marseils WE staid some dayes at Grand Caire where in the advance of my voyage I staid many moneths but before I go away I will tell you how we met there with a brother of my companion Guillen Cassis whom he had so basely abused at our coming from Meca as I said in another place when he cheated him of seven Cammels under colour to go to traffick in the red sea and Ethiopia and we passed into Arabia the happy to Persia the East Indies and Affrica where in all we were forth in our travailes six years and a halfe But as soon as he perceived at a distance his brother Marat he got slily into a company that his brother might not take notice of him at length he passed by us with a fixed eye but said nothing no one thinking of him for my part I knew him not yet me thought I had seen him before till at last I called him to mind and told the whole story to our company who condemned it for an unworthy action In fine the good fellow by this means scap'd a bad encounter Being departed from Grand Caire we went to embarke in our Almadies which staid for us at Boulac which is the Rendezvous of all Merchants Christians and others who are bound for Alexandria Thence we came in a day and a half to Auas where we met with my friend who had made all speed for fear of his brother From Auas we came in a day and a half to Rousette called by the natives Raschill a town by the ancients called Metilis or Canapus upon an arm of Nile called Heraclettick which Historians call Rexi At Roussetta we sold our Almadies and imbarked by night in a Germe and the next day were in Alexandria Alexandria is a town half ruinate of little pleasure a most remarkable example of the inconstancy of worldly things that this town should now be brought to so lacerate a condition that was for many ages one of the most ample fair populous rich and flourishing towns of the world chiefly renowned for excellent and commodious scituation for her Founder Alexander the great for having been the Seat-royall of the Ptolomiâ—s for her so famous and frequented Haven for her proud buildings amongst the rest Pharoes tower one of the wonders of the world for her Academy renowned for all Sciences for being the mother of so many famous Philosophers great Doctors and holy Patriarcks who kept the christian faith so long flourishing in those parts briefly for so many ornaments of art and nature from which glory she fell after she was taken with the rest of the country by the Sarasins and their third Calife Homar so as after this consternation she never recovered any thing of her pristine splendour But she remains a good Haven and a good landing place for all Merchandizes of the Levant and Indies where all Levantine Merchants Africans and Europians come to traffick Heretofore the Romans afterwards the Ptolemies made it the greatest Mart in the world by the means of the sea and Nile drawing thither all sorts of drugs spices and other Arabian commodities from India by the red sea then by land to Nile and so to Alexandria Since again under the Soudans this course was continued where the Venetians and all Europians fetched their spices till the Portuguese found out another way as we said in another place I will say no more either of this town or Caire as places sufficiently understood in these parts by the ample relations of divers accurate travailers only I shall observe that in this town when the Nile flowes they preserve sweet water in their Cesterns and make Channels to water their gardens There is resident a Consul for the French Nation Le sieur de Rhode was then the person who shewed us much kindnesse and much admired our tedious and painful peregrination He had his wife there with him by whom he had two twin daughters
of Mandinga rich in gold and silver having excellent mines The Prince keeps his Court in the Town of Senrigo more Eastward by a hundred leagues then the Cape of Palmes all the Blacks as well of high as low Guinea acknowledge this King whereas the inhabitants along the Rivers Faraca Nigrate and Budomel obey the King of Tombut Lord of three kingdomes of Blacks This countrey is called by the Protuguese Mandimanca where they adore the Moon called by them the Bariamari that is the God of night or darknesse and offer sacrifices to it in the most obscure woods in hollow trees at midnight as they do likewise at Cassanga who have one China for their principal Idol in whose honour they goe on procession the twenty ninth of November about Midnight One of their Priests or Magicians with them called Acacani bearing a banner of silk with a faggot of Vine branches and divers bones of dead men I believe they are bones of such as have made voluntary sacrifice of themselves to this Demon who appeares to them after divers manners this Ensign weares a garment of woven twigges at which there hang divers heads of little dogs Munkeys and other small creatures Procession ended they repose the Idols within the same tree and burne most sweet perfumes to it sacrificing Mill then make their prayers and depart In their dealings these people are lawlesse trading in slaves with the Portuguese and others which they rapine from all parts and make their Market of them to a miserable slavery The Cassangarians neighbour upon another Nation called Lebouramos who live along the River Saint Domingo by the natives called Jarin full of fish but a dangerous Haven for the Sands and Rocks which lye before it Towards the North is Guinalla another River in the mouth whereof the Portuguese have built a Fort they call Sancta Cruz and the Haven Guinalla They are Negroes which they term Beafares abominable thieves making prey of one another to sell to the Portuguese The King of Guinalla keeps a great State hath a numerous guard of Archers besides fifty huge strong dogges all armed with skin of sea-oxe dressed for the purpose and made of proof to every one a keeper In Townes by night they have no other guards then such dogges who once turned loose spare no man so as there is no stirring out of dores without danger of being worried This they do to defend themselves from such as by night come to break their houses which are onely turfe covered with leaves to carry away Negroes for the Market The King hath a mutiplicity of wives and believes that such wives as dye with him for company meet him in the other world and become his wives again but since they heard the true doctrine by some Fathers of S. Francis who shew'd them their folly they have not been so extravagant Some of them were baptized and went along with the Portuguese At the side of Guinala comes out a branch which runnes to Port Begama and a few leagues higher divides again in two and upwards delivers it self to the Sea The Portuguese hold this Port which they call Balola and the people on this branch are called Lansados Both these are good Havens joyntly inhabited by the Portuguese and the Natives For from the Meridionall point of this River to Cape Vergas there are three nations mingled with the Portuguese the Malus Ebagas and Cosolins Now from the South of that Cape begins a fair well-peopled Province they call Gatulia and the Portuguese Serellionna that is a point throwing it self into the sea by the side of a great river of the same appellation by reason of a hollow concavity roaring like a Lyon This is a very pleasant country full of Groves of Brasill trees and Vines which they have not knowledge to dresse abundance of Midian Figges which they call Bancanes Sugar-canes grow without planting Besides they have good conveniences as Mills and Engines to make their Sugar for they have Mines in all parts There is Rice Cotton Cattle innumerable Fish Pepper in abundance and more keen and pure then other but there is prohibition upon life to carry any to Spain or Portugal for spoyling the sale of that which comes from India Likewise there are Mines of Gold and Silver Ivory Amber-gris white and black in brief 't is absolutely a land of promise and delights This Pepper the Portuguese call Dimienta de cola one would take it for a Chestnut it growes in a shell though without prickles Other strangers who come to traffick for it lade with it but the Spaniard dares not take a grain In this country there is variety and abundance of Birds a sort of Ape they call a Baris he is great and strong the inhabitants take them with nets traps and other engines entrapping the sire and dam with the young ones set in cages They use them but rudely and beat them till they cry like children make them walk upon two feet tying the foremost in their pole to a stick besides make them do many offices as fetch water in a pitcher wash dishes blow the fire draw wine fetch meat from the Butcher and any other domesticall charre But amongst all they will still be committing their petitlarcenies for meat and drink but are well corrected for it The sport is when they turn the spit to see how he will smell the meat and turning his great shaggy head with hanging hair flyly watch if any body see him and they must be very vigilant or he shews them a trick for the roast As it happened to a Portuguese who had invited certain Merchants but when they came to take up dinner Mr. Jack-turn-spit had made use of one of the legs of a Turky-cock His Master for the present beat him not for the necessary use they had of him who filled them wine and washed their glasses and still at last took his cup when it came to his turn and with his rogueries made them very merry To proceed the Portuguese make a good time with these Negroes who bring them unrefined gold for things inconsiderable and to facilitate their traffick upon a point of the Sea called Corco five degrees North they have built a Fort near a Town inhabited by the Natives and Portuguese together The whole Countrey of Serri Lionna is exceeding populous and watered with fair Rivers bounded with tall dates and great orange trees The first River from Capo Verga the Countreymen call Piterones the Spaniards di Pietro dividing into many branches which interweave the land and compose many Islands by the Negroes called Cagasian where at an ebbing tide they find Amber-gris for which cause the Portuguese built a good Town there co-inhabited by Portugueses and Negroes where they live so strangely 't is hard to know a Christian from a Pagan nor is it easie to judge who lives the better there are at least two thousand Christians onely by name living and dying like Pagans After this River there
come by the streights of Hudscas Davis Forbisher and others which are thought to crosse to the Orientall and Tartarian sea but here they appear rather gulphs and arms of the Sea then streights Then we come to the Lands of Estotiland Labrador Cortereal New France or Canada and Bacaleos Norembeck Virginia New Nideoland or the New-Low-Countries Florida and New Spain or Mexico as well the old as new and the lands above new Granada Mar Vermeio California Quiuira or new Aâ—bion and Anian to the famous Streight of land or sea of the same name which joynes or divides North Asia or high Tartarie from this part of America And 't is probable that this way for many Ages men and beasts have passed who have peopled this new World whether from China Tartarie Moscovia and other places or as farr as Scandia or from elsewhere carried by the windes cast up by shipwrack or coming upon designe or for ease of people alwayes growing onward But this dispute I leave to be decided by better abilities being out of my reach and no part of my design South America from Jucatan Honduras and Nicanagua to the Streight of Panama proceeds by Vraba Dariena Castilia Dor Venesusla Paria Cabagna Cumana Curibana and further up into the famous Land of Guinea then comes the vast Territory or Coast of Brasile of above 1000 leagues Patagona and Chica to the Streights of Magellan and Maire and at last ascending towards the South-sea by Chila and Peru to the Isthmus of Mannama As for the Parts southward beyond the Streights towards the Land of Fou or Queinos to the Isles of Salomon new Guinea and others 't is not yet knowne what they are As to the Discovery of this New World leaving that common question If our Ancestors had any knowledge of it t was first made by Columbus in the yeare 1492. afterwards successively by Americus Vespasius Cabot Cortercall Cupral Verazan Cortez Pisarra and at last by Sir Francis Drake Sir Walter Rawley Forbisher Davis Hudson and others Towards the Lands of Labrador and Canada one Captaine Velasco a Spaniard passing that way entred the river of Canada or St. Laurens and taking it for an Arme of the Sea having a faire winde sayl'd up about 200 leaugues where he found many Townes and Villages inhabited by people called Piperones of an extraordinary stature as ten foote high or more people kinde enough and tractable spending their time only in hunting and fishing their ordinary diet milke and cheese Upon a Sunday coming on shore to celebrate Masse there came innumerable Savages to admire our Sevice and Ceremonies as a thing altogether new to them They presented the Spaniards abundance of sheep Kids and goats and they might have taken off the common what Cows and Cattel they would A people otherwise not very Military but exceeding simple and use Barkes like the Brasilian Canoes The Captaine in gratuity gave to the cheife of them a handsome sword and dagger who by signes let him understand he had nothing to returne him but 50 Cows and 200 sheep desiring him to accept them for accomodation for his company Part of them he took and gave him a Coate of Azure Tafeta which he highly esteemed and admir'd and went confidently abord them with a score of his men and at severall times came little boats loaded with fruit which this Lord had provided to present the Captain with at his departure he fired some Cannons which strangely amazed these poor people who thought the World at an end they go cloath'd with skins commodiously sew'd together In the Land of Labrador and beyond Northward are abundance of Mountains and Forrests where there are numbers of wilde beasts and amongst others huge beares and great Griffins all white which are nothing like those of the East or Africa which are gray only a little red under the belly but both of them have but two feet and not foure as they are painted They have also Partridges and other sorts of birds all white A little higher lies the frozen sea which some say is not a sea frozen but land covered with ice An Indian one Irica told me that in his youth he had been in the Land of Labrador which the Natives call Vchacara which borders on a Countrey called Alfringa and that crossing from Province to Province he saw seas of Vast extent all frozen and the people assur'd him t was not a Sea but Land covered with fresh water-ice a thing hard to be credited They have not any Townes but Villages where on little hills they live in timber houses covered with hides of Beifes and other beasts The people are Whites kinde and affable This Coast extends to the space of 400 leagues there is a large river they call de tres Hermanos which some Spanish were about to crosse but could not for snows Some imagine here is a streight that goes into the Orientall sea others that t is an Arme of the sea only Some take this for the river Rio Neuado which on one side coasts this Countrey for 200 leagues on the other side to the Bay of Maluas and by the Gulph Merosco lyes the Isle of Devills so called because they hold it to be haunted with spirits as many of the eastern Islands are as I observed in another place There are Tawnies amongst them they weare in their eares rings of gold and silver their cloaths lin'd with Martins and other furrs amongst them there live some Britains and English men Next lies the Countrey called Bacaleos or Bacca-Lao so called from our fishing for Codds there to which the Seamen give that terme That place is so thronged with this sort of fish that sometimes they cumber a Vessell in sayling The coast from thence to Florida is about 900 l. The Country is cold like Flanders and under almost the same climate The people are Idolaters and bruitish void of civility except along the shore where the French inhabit there they live better and eat not mans flesh as the rest round about them do They live in obedience to one they elect out of the most potent amongst them many Islands adjacent are possessed by the French Not far from thence lyes the Countrey called Chicora the people whereof are of extraordinary size they wear their hair down to their girdle the women much longer They believe the immortality of the soule and that after death they transmigrate to a better Countrey than their own They keep stocks of tame Deer which they drive to pasture as we do Cows and Oxen from them they make excellent cheese which mingled with a sort of clouted cream is a very delicate dish The English say the land of Bacalaos was first discovered by one Cabor sent thither by Henry the 7. King of England to which the Spaniards consent not much lesse the French who trafick'd here long before any other Nation Chicora lyes upon the Continent a little above Bacalaos and according to some is
springs that condense to stone whereof they build their houses but the water drunk is mortall wherefore they stop up all high-wayes to it for it causes a present heavinesse and then they die immediately They have many other fountains hot and cold close together some whereof cure the French disease though never so confirmed by reason of the Sassaparilla that grows in them In Peru there is a sheam red as bloud for that called Rio Vermeio In Caramel they have another Fountain cures all feavers and purges like Rhubarb the water is brackish and salt at the first taste but afterwards one feels nothing but may drink his fill without dammage it drives through the body all that is malignant then passes clear I thought I should have vomited my bowels up but afterwards I found my self sound and cheerfull and cured of a Rhume in my teeth I had been troubled with for a long time I drunk three flagons a day and still it provoked me to drink more They come to it from all parts and for all diseases even for wounds And the place is made so necessary one may bath in it 'T is onely hurtfull to hot livers Round about it are tents of straw and beds of cotton and sheep-skins where you shall have all accomodation for a small matter and they will officiously fetch and furnish you with any thing you want amongst others they bring us a fowle called Magnota more delicate than a patridge another that is white and black and eats like a capon and abundance of turtles But of Lakes where is there any so admirable as that whereon the Towne of Mexica is seated whereof one part by reason of Salt-peter at the bottome is salt as the Sea the other by reason of the Rivers that fall into it fresh as any Fountaine each division being ten leagues in length and five in breadth and three dayes journey in circuite with a delightfull Mountain in the middle and a bath hot as that at Baleru In the middle of the Lake is the Charnell of green Tombs ever covered with herbs and flowers The Spaniards have laid most of the Town dry being before in the manner of Venice and have made conduits that convey water throughout the Towne and chiefly round the walls Out of avarice the new Conquerours admit not the Indians to fish on the Lake without license who now contrary to Articles enjoy not their ancient liberties neither in this nor other things There are three Causwayes lead to the Town of halfe a league long They account upon 4000. houses of Spaniards and thirty thousand Indians For Rivers you have there spacious Lakes or rather Seas as the Magdala in the Province of St. Martha called Rio grande then the Orenoque towards Castilia of gold and Venesuela The silver River in Brasile coming from Mountaines far remote from Peru above all the great Ozeilliana or Maragnon and Amasones which cuts through the South America from Chachaneyas and Quito through infinite Territories and Dominions to the Northern Sea This River comes from the Province of Araquixo or de los Quixos near to Popayan and thirty leagues from the South-Sea discovered first by Francisco Orellano a Spanish Captain sent thither by Gonzala Pizarra who had sought a long this River for the land of Canela and missing the wealth he sought for and finding the trees few in number and of small value not lighting on the Country of the Prince surnamed Dorado in 1562. he sent Orellano with fifty men to seek provision view the Countrey and attend his coming in an appointed place The Captain following the stream which still grew wider by the Rivers that every where augmented it going fifty leagues a day without oar or labour for a long while he discovered no habitations go up again he could not and by land there was nothing but woods and bushes after he had suffered plenty of hunger he met with severall people and of severall tongues and conditions some mild and courteous others fierce and savage pursuing his way without card compasse or guide by many Islands and populous Countryes amongst others of Amazons the female Archers of whom there are some Curtisans at Brasile not much discrepant from those Antiquity renowns in Asia who co-inhabit not with men and at certain times have Neighbours come over to them for procreation to whom again they transmit the Males and keep the Girles After a tedious Navigation and many turns and compasses for above seventeen hundred leagues upon this River he came to the confusion of it in the North Sea fourty leagues over following the Coast he arrived at Cubaga or the Isle of Pearles which is above four hundred leagues whence Orellano with 14. of his men being recruited came to S. Domingo afterwards made an ample relation to the Emperour where Ouiede took his instructions and inserted it in his History Meanwhile Pizarra expected and having suffered extream hunger seeing Orellanio came not he returned to Quito much troubled he found not the sought for Dorado a golden Prince indeed who wore no other garment but pulverized Gold lay'd on with gumme with which he goes dayly covered To conclude this is one of the greatest and longest rivers on the earth and washes more lands and people than any other Afterwards many other Spaniards sailed it as Salinas Orhia and others Adde hereto the great Lake or Ocean Guiana Parimi and Manoa in Countries discovered by the English Sir Walter Rawley in 1595 who equals it with the Caspian Sea that containes many Islands The capital Town is Manoa a Countrey rich in gold fruit and cattle North lies Castile of gold Paria and Caribana West new Andalousia and Peru South Omaga Pegu Picora Paguana East Tisnado Brasile c. Concerning beasts in America there are great numbers as well the naturall of the Countrey as Europian transported which are multiplyed exceedingly Amongst others in Mexico there is one the Spaniards call an Armadillo armed with scales like the Rhinocerot in shape like a little pig about the size of a Cat and lives in Burroughs like a Rabbet The Pacacou like a fox that preys on dead mens carcases and digs them up how deep soever I have seen of them in Asia and Africa where they call them Chicali There are the Birds called Conderos which the Chaca poyas of Peru adore these will carry away a sheep tear in pieces and eat him they are ash-coloured like a Sea-Crowâ— others again so minute they seeme rather Flyes or Gnats Another sort that is as 't were all feathers and none or little flesh and as they say never comes upon the earth Their feathers are of various colours in perfection beautifull when they rest they hang on a bough by the tayle clasped round it their plumes are worn and much esteemed In Marseills I saw one sold for 500. crowns in Portugall they come at 60. The Indians of these curious feathers make Pourtraicts as artificiall as
must be the dog or Medusa's head Six Poles with the Indians The Zodiack St. Basil in Exameron The Earth square with the Chinesses The opinion of the Gâ—eek Philosophy of the forme of the Earth Antripodes by whom not believed Virgill Bishop of Strasbourg Sinabo Drogomania may be Dragoian or Turcomania Deserts of Tartary Persian Asses Serpents good meat fierâ—e dogs Volmous This must be the great Mogor A History of an Incubus Phlegon Trallianus The adventures of Amador a Painter Maps of Africa defective The extent of Africa See Pliny l. 5. c. 1. of the Cavarianâ— of Affrick Leon of Africa lib. 1. cap. 11. Majesty of the King of Tombut Africans who adore the Sun The Empire of the Abissins The prodigious greatnesse of Africa The division of Africa Read Andrew Corsals letter of this Island A Topography of the Island S. Laurence Chreumain or Indian Safron Garcias l. 1. c. 39. Igname or Inhame a root The occupations of the Inhabitants of Madagascar Birds of Paradice Crocodils and the manner how to take them Janiharou a Town and River Isles of Theives The Coco tree The root Joguia Belugara Windes which preserve bodies incorruptible Lib. 11. c. 2. Christians in Bâ—lugara The town of Monbaze A merry passage see the like story in the first part The manner how they receive Embassadors Melinde Town and Kingdom Melons of excellency The Prince of Mâ—linde a gâ—ave Justiciar Quiloa Zanguefar Zanzebar The river Humes Mozambique Salomons gold Zinguebar Abassins The Isle Zunan The lake Zaflan Magnice a river Zaire and Zembre Rivers in Suama Divers rivers in Couama Goldmines Alvarez testifies that in the mines of Chaxumo there are stones of 64 fathoms six in breadth and three height The author changes the design of his first voyage The courtesie of savages The Abifsins imprint a Crosse on their flesh Suguelane agisimba Monopotapa Mines of salt Madrogan the chief town of Monopotapa Subjects zealous to their Prince Lions skins Land Tortoises The extent of the Abissins country Manzua Câ—dignus others Kingdomes Tributes paid to Preste John Ethiopia double The Abissins religion See Aluarez ch 41. The reverence they bear to sacred places Causes of the flowing of Nile Abba Licanus who some say baptized Candace the Queen Aluarez ch 14 Amazons People black and white Aranuhi A hundred weight Calscenas Pâ—este Jâ—hns messengers Aluaca 141. Aua. c 8. Betudete a grear officer Al. c. 69. Tabuto the altar stone Ariates The triumphall entrance of the Negus into Barra Ganfrila and Drafrila Al. calls it Gauete Mongibir Romarins Christians Strange prostitution of wives See Al. cap. 58. and 59. This is Domine miserere nobis Aluarez cals them Debiteres The cannons of Ethiopia Of this Abraham See Al. ca. 54. Israelites is as much as Princes of the blood-royal or officers descended from those Jews who came thither in the daies of Salomon Al. c. 61. 138. Alu. saith the Priests Cannons are single Monkes married Instituted since Al. time who speaks not of them Look Al. Gâ—es Godagne and the modern relations of the Jesuites Abiblicains Bilibranos the name of a Monastery Dragoyan or Doragila in sum See Mark Pol. l. 3. â— 17 Or Zabano as the Persians call them See the first part c. 37. which must be Medusa's head or the dog or one of Orion Al. sayes they call it Berenegus c 46. Sabalete a river Al. ca. 52. Saba called Sabin by Al. c. 41. May be the Monastery of Abba Gariman Bernusse a sort of African cloth Tamatan Lacque sanguine colour for Painters The same we read in the History of Ganfredi See if this may be in S Aug. l. 18. c. 18. De civitate Dei See Leon. Afr. l. 8. Truebalm Pe Mar. in his Lega babil l. 3. who sayes 't is in the year 1502 this plant was lost See Monardes Hieroglyphicks Mummie Alexandria Seques Sbelus heretofore Syrtes Ermin a Judge Leon. Abr. l. 3. Mahazin Zaira The Turks Religion Turkâ—sh justice A descriptiâ—n of the Seraglio Bashaw Abrahor the master of horse A History The fortunate Island A violent tempest Aroucaneâ— Cuba an Island Espaniola Magana The History of Bibical King Biblical The Isles of the Antilles Canibals hunt men and women Cruelty of the Spaniards Indians aversion to the Spaniard Coast of Mexico Admirable windes The Torrid Zone A mystical fruit Three regions of America South America The frozen Sea Bacalao Codfish Military dogs Unfortunate love A prodigious lightning French hanged in Florida The temperature of Mexico The Ancient Mexicans People of Mexica A stratagem The Mexicans sacrifices The Mexicans Idoâ— The Mexican year month Chicora The Mexican wheel Ceremonies and Prayers Their dances Burning Mountains A History of a covetous Priest Montezama King of Mexica Ferdinand Cortez conquered Mexica Spanish vanity A tree yielding all necessaries Fruit used for mony Jucataen Panama The extent of Peru. Qâ—ito Casio Plata A wind of the use of rain Munkeys Temper of Peru. Mines in Potossi Earthquakes A discovery Amazonâ—â— Strange beasts Birds of prodigious greatness Tabala Plumes in use A good bargain Fish of Mexico Mines of silver Mines of gold and silver The manner of their working in the Mine Quicksilver Pearle-fishing Men divers Emeralds enemies of incontinency Peru by whom discovered By whom civilized Calander of Peru. Incas or Kings of Peru. Presage of the Spaniards arrivall Cruelty revenged The strait of Magellan Paragows Chica a Countrey Wingless birds The river Orellanâ— Brasile Brasile by whom discovered In 1533. Villegagnon Customes of the Brasilians Brasilians man-eaters Prisoners of War Savages indued with reason
relieve Grizalua but he returned without advancing further Cortez undertook the invasion with five hundred souldiers his Captains Auilla Porto Carrecco Orda Escalente Salsedo Olid Escouar Aluarada and others He gain'd the Kingdom with great toyle and industry defeated and took the King Montezuma afterwards being driven out by the Mexicans with a neighbouring people their enemies he returned and brought them absolutely under the yoke The Indians called him Malnixa as a God descended from heaven Amongst the Spaniards themselves he had great enemies as Garary Estrada Olid and Navez whom he routed and compleated his conquest The Emperour made him Marquesse del Valla. He was indued with all the qualities of a Spaniard vertuous and vitious He was bold valiant suddain in execution clear spirited subtle patient and resolute but ambitious out of measure cruell and libidinous He dyed in Spain at the age of 63. in the year 1546. He conquered in Mexica from 12. to 15. degrees The town of Mexica is in 19. degrees about the 8. of May and the 16. of July the Sun is perpendicular The countrey is temperate but rather hot then cold clothes there not being tedious or troublesome nor nakednesse importune or broyling The Mines are not so wealthy as in Peru but more profitable by reason of the lesse charge and danger Besides gold silver iron and brasse they bring from thence sugar cochenell cotton plumage honey wax balm amber salt medicinable drugges c. and few vessels return light which is not in Peru Spain being enriched as well from one as the other For though there is so much treasure to be exhausted yet there is not so much danger The faith hath made a farther progresse the countrey is better peopled the natives better ordered more regular better Markets of cattle horses sugars and meat wherein Peru cannot compare which doubtlesse would be better if it had more rain The natives wondring why the Spaniards were inquisitive of gold and silver at first they made them believe 't was to cure them of a pain at their heart whereto they were subject but in time they found it did hold them there indeed Cortez to bring these people in obedience to his King told them he was Emperour of all the Christians the greatest Lord on earth who had under him more Kingdomes and Provinces then other Kings had subjects That his government was founded on Justice and proceeded immediately from God that he was accomplished with all vertues and that the Monarchy of the whole Universe was by right his inheritance and other Spanish boasts and vanities Concerning the particulars of this great country besides what I have said already In the Province of Mechoacan there is an excellent root of the same name with the countrey by others called Jeheurais of the same vertue to purge as Rhubarb but more light and white and purges with lesse violence which is a great traffick in Spain where 't is worth three or four realls the pound and there almost nothing 'T is taken by the weight of a Crown pulveriz'd in an egge wine or broth I have seen greater effects of it then Rhubarb It may be kept four or five years or longer with care but there is such abundance they matter it not By information of the natives some of the Spaniards were cured of diseases by this root and so it became famous 'T is called Indian Rhubarb Amongst other trees in Mexico or the land of Caperous there is the famous tree of Muguey whereof they tell as many wonders and several uses as of the Eastern Cocos for it yields water wine vinegar oyle honey wax thread and needles so as this is sufficient to keep a man After drawing fresh water the fruit will be like sweet small nuts The water a little boyled becomes good wine more boyled like burnt wine which coagulate again excellent honey whereof they make Syrupes The first water set in the Sun makes good vinegar From the leaves issues sweet milk and out of the leaves you may draw thread strong enough to make cloth I brought with me two shirts of it and some of the fruit as perfect into Europe as it grew on the tree for the rind is very thick and that preserves it cloth made of this yarne will ever have some dark gray streaks in it About the leaves grow little prickles so strong and hard they use them for needles and sew with no other There are many who live on this tree alone which puts forth leaves upon leaves continually and in such abundance that the tree is covered over from the root to the top which makes it unshapely To make it pregnant they lay cindars to the root the wood is of such quality it endures twice as long in the fire as any other and when they will keep fire a long time they use a piece of this wood Balm comes from a tree something like a Pomegranate tree and it produces several sorts of several vertues The first is Opobalsamo excellent for wounds and the plague of gold colour like Ambar another sort is something white another sort is press'd out the leaves and sprigges burnt of such vertue 't will draw any iron out of the flesh I brought some into France wherewith I did most admirable cures of wounds and old ulcers which had eaten to the very bone In a word 't is most soveraigne for wounds paines in the sides contagions and holding a little in the mouth preserves from bad ayrs They much esteeme another tree called Cacao as the fruit is of great use and traffick which passes with them as money to buy all commodities The fruit is like an Almond a little lesse They are never without Cacoas in their pockets to buy what they want for alms or to eat and 't will keep a long time The Province of Guatima produces them in abundance where they make a precious drink of it that accordingly mixt cools or heats it makes good wine They make Cakes of it good for the stomack and ptisick 't is like an Almond tree the leaves a little broader and of a thicker body To make it prosper they plant another by the side of it 't is very tender and suffers equally by cold and heat This latter tree they call Cacaos mother because it preserves it from the injuries of the weather Whosoever hath this tree they esteem him happy and pious in opinion if he were not such their God would not have sent him this tree and when such a tree dyes they believe the Master hath committed some heinous crime In like manner they have their Coca in high esteem at Peru which being chewed and held in the mouth marvellously revives the spirit 'T is of very delicate taste whereof they make great traffick to Potossi Of the Gold and Silver Mines in Mexico I will speak jointly with those of Peru. CHAP. XI Of new Spain the Provinces thereof and of Peru. NEw Spain is the greatest
Dominion in North America as Peru in the South Betwixt both lyes Jucatan Hondura Nicaragua Veraga or Nombre de Dios Panama which chain them together Jucatan is a point of land which extends to the 21. degree like a peninsula being in the streightest place from Xicalanco to Chotemal some hundred leagues over the country was first discovered by one Fernandez in one thousand five hundred and seventeen afterwards by Grisalua who came from Cuba to the Isle of Cosumel or Saint Crois thence to Campechia Champatron and Tauasco Hondura was first discovered by Columbus in his last voyage 1502. last by one Casan who setled the Plantation of Tucillo in 1515. Pedrarias d' Avila in 1519. planted the Colonies in Nombre de Dios and Panama towards the South Sea the first discoverer of that sea was Vasco Muntz coming from Dariana in 1513. who with great joy rendred thanks to God and took possession for the King of Spain Betwixt Nombre de Dios and Panama 't is 17. or 18. leagues of Marshes Mountains and craggy asperous rocks full of fierce wild beasts of all kinds and a multitude of Apes that make a very troublesome noyse They transport their Merchandise from sea to sea either by land with convoyes or by the river Chagra to about five leagues from Panama and then by land with Convoy They have often thought of cutting this Isthmus in the streightest place but the difficulty of the Rocks and Mountains by the way besides the doubt if the seas are levell as at the Egyptian Isthmus hindred the proceeding A Colony at Sancta Maria Antiqua in Dariana displanted for the unsoundnesse of the ayre for but throwing warm water on the ground toads and other venemous creatures would engender Advancing towards the East we came to the Provinces of Vraba S. Martha Cartagena Popayan Dorado new Estramadora new Granada Venecuela Castilia Doro Bagota new Andolousia Paria Cahaqua Cumana c. South lyes Dariana then the great kingdome of Peru then Chila to the Streight Dariana was planted by one Anchisa there are Cowes with feet like Mules and hornlesse Peru according to some extends from Dariana to Chila others clipping it from Popayan North to Chila South It took name from the River Peru in two degrees Northward the Provinces thereof are Quito Quixos Popayan Canela Pacamores Gualsonge then Collao Carchas Anedas Tecuman to Chila Popayan is about two hundred leagues in length and forty in breadth lying upon new Granada towards the East The Provinces are Antioch Tataho Anserma Arma Pacoura Catapa Quinhaya Calix and Pasto Anserma 70. leagues from Antioch is called by the Indians Ombra but the Spaniards seeing the Inhabitants hold salt in their hand and call it Anser thought the town had been so called and continued that name there is a passage over the river Saint Martha at that town Arma is of note for rich Mines Parmoura hath also silver Mines the Province of Arbi extends to the Mountains of Cordilleras which runs a thousand leagues Southward on that side which stretches to the sea they never have raines by reason the South and South-West winds blowing continually drive the clouds away whereby this part is barren without tree fruit or grasse but the other side onely a league distant by reason of the rains abounds in fruits and all commodities In Quinbaya at the end of the Cordilleras over against Andes there is a famous burning mountain In the Province of Pastro there is a large valley called Arris ever cold both winter and summer All these parts are well peopled and the Inhabitants not so bloody nor man-eaters as in other parts living under a government and obedience to their Prince and believe in the resurrection after death and that they shall live in fields of peace with all sorts of delights Peru extends from Pasto to Chila ends Southward at the River Manto North at Augar Mayo here are vast sandy Plains as far as the Indies where the heat is extreme while snow lyes on the Mountains and the like diversity of the seasons I remember when I went to Sicily walking on the coast of Calabria in the beginning of March winter was so sharp there was not the least sprout of a Vine to be seen whereas in Sicily I found them a span high young beanes good Artichocks and they mowed green corn to give the blades to horses In this part between the sea and the Codilleras called Sanaria for want of wood they get a certain earth out of the water which they dry and make turfes like those in the low countreys the Mountains are the most desert and arduous in the world of long extent running from Panama to the streight they throw down divers Rivers and compose very fertile Valleys At the point of Sagotta at the entrance into those vast plains betwixt the Mountains and the Sea lyes a wide countrey covered with nothing but sand like the deserts of Arabia but not so white some shrubs there are or rather stalks strong as the Caper sprigges in the deserts of Palestine the same we call salt grasse which refreshes the passengers exceedingly and continues till May. The seasons differ but little in Quito Cagnales Santiago de porto Vieio Cusco Cagnata Collao Charcas The Province of Quito is called by the Spaniards Poblada de San Francesco and the capitall town S. Francis of Quito The length of Peru from Quito to Chila is some six hundred leagues the breadth about fifty The countrey is divided into three parts the Plaines upon the sea side about ten leagues over the Mountains and Valleys twenty leagues the Forests and Lawns twenty leagues within which little space of fifty leagues there is such difference that it rains as 't were alwayes in one part in another not at all and in the middle upon the mountaines seldome The Cordileras which run from Pole to Pole by the names of Andes and Sierra are very different though in the same elevation one side covered with woods where it rains and is ever hot the other side bare and cold winter and summer These mountains go for a thousand leagues in view of one another dividing at Cusco where they inclose the Province of Collao a Champaign countrey full of Lakes and Rivers Next Collao lyes Charcas a mountanous countrey rich in Mines Quito is under the Equinoctial abounding in all sorts of fruit whereof they make two harvests in the year The spring lasts from Aprill to November and from October to March their rains which they esteem their winter Here they have of those famous sheep called Pacos which serve as properly for carriage as horses of the height of an ordinary asse long legges deep belly long and risen neck and the head like ours in Europe They draw and do any work the flesh is wholesome and savory fresh or salt these beasts are tame and apt to be brought to labour Out of the Province of Cognata towards the