legions of Britannie were transported into the continent Holland and the bordering countries reuoked and immediately after the Sarracens finding the frontires of the Empire without garrisons passed ouer Danubius The Alani woon the streights of the Caspian hils the Persians indeuoured to get them a name and reputation the Gothes wandered throughout Moesia and Macedonia the Frenchmen entred Gallia But Constantine the Emperor restored it to the former glorie made an end of ciuill warre and tamed the barbarous and cruell nations and had he not committed two faults the Romane Empire might long haue flourished The first was the translating of the Imperiall seate from Rome to Constantinople which action weakened the West and ouerthrew the Empire For it is more cleere then day that as plants remooued out of their naturall soile and transported into regions contrarie in temperature and aire retaine small vigour of their naturall vertue So humane actions but especially cities and kingdomes loose their glorie and splendour by these great alterations And for this cause the Romane Senate would neuer consent that the people should leaue Rome and dwell at Veij a citie far more pleasant and commodious then Rome especially after the sacking thereof by the Frenchmen The seate of Constantinople is so pleasant so commodious and so fertile that it is hard to iudge whether humane wisedome or nature shewed most industrie in the situation thereof There is no citie vpon the face of the earth better serued by land and sea on one side lie the most beautifull meadowes on the other side the pleasant vallies here rise the fruitfull hillocks there floweth and refloweth the plentifull sea yeelding all sorts of needfull and delicate prouision to the inhabitants thereof He that did see it would say that here stroue Bacchus with Ceres Pomana with Flora magnificence with plentie who should be most bountifull to this citie After the sea hath made many gallant bayes and safe roades whereof Bospherus onely in the space of fiue and twenty miles yeeldeth thirtie it runneth by the citie and countrie with so quiet and gentle a streame that the great ships bringing corne from Siria and Egypt and the riches of Trapezond from Capha doe seldome miscarrie Here is euermore haruest which now and then faileth in Thrace and Asia Here sholes of fish frisking and playing hard vnder the wals of the citie swim in such woonderfull abundance that he which hath not seene it will hardly beleeue it but he may easily be perswaded hereof that considereth how in the winter time the fish flying the cold places ascend by Pontus Euxinus euen in the view of Constantinople towards Propontus then shunning the heate of summer returne againe by the same way which they went before At these two seasons of the yeere the inhabitants as well for their profit as delight store themselues with great quantities thereof At this day on the Northeast part of the citie on the other side of the water is the towne of Pera on the North part is the Arsenall where the gallies are built and doe remaine and on the South side is all the ordinance artillerie and houses of munition To speake in a word there is no place fitter seated for plentie of all things for weakning mens valors for corrupting vertue with vice then this great and most stately citie of Constantinople prooued by the sloth and delicacie of the greatest number of the Greeke Emperors and their armies For if the pleasures of Tarent and the soile of the Siberites were inchantments sufficient to make men effeminate and quite alter the nature of the inhabitants if the delights of Capua could soften and quench the fierce courages of Hannibal and his soldiers if Plato deemed the Cyrenians incapable of discipline by reason of their long prosperitie what may wee thinke of Constantinople for situation proud for buildings sumptuous especially of their temples for beautifull and commodious hauens pleasant and delightsome aboue any other citie through the whole world To conclude when nothing can be more dangerous to a state then innouations what could be more hurtfull I may say desperate to the Romane Empire then that great so daine and vnlooked for mutation That good wel meaning Emperor in this did neither more nor lesse then as a man endeuouring to adde a greater grace to his bodie should place his face on his knees and his hart on his heeles The second fault of Constantine was the diuision of the Empire to his children ann Dom. 341. By this diuision of one Empre he made three and withall a memorable diminution of his authoritie and force For when his sonnes fell to ciuill dissention they consumed one another so cruelly that the Empire resembled a bloodlesse yea liuelesse bodie And though sometime vnder some one prince it stood on foote againe yet it remained alwaies subiect to diuision and departed into two Empires the east and the west till the comming of Odoacer king of the Herules and Turingi into Italy with a mightie host by which inuasion Augustulus was brought to such a narrow pinch that for despaire he cast himselfe into the protection of the east Empire This happened in the yeere of our Lord 476. And about this time the Huns passed Danubius Alaricus king of the Gothes tooke Rome the Vandals first spoiled Andoluzia afterwards Africke the Alans woon Portugall the Gothes conquered the greater part of Spaine the Saxons Britaine the Burgundians Prouince Iustinian restored it somewhat to a better staie driuing the Vandals out of Africke and the Gothes out of Italy by his captaines anno 556. But this faire weather lasted not long For in the yeere 713. the armes and heresies of the Mahumetans began to vexe the east Empire and shortly after 〈◊〉 the Sarracens wasted Syria Aegypt the Archipelago Africke Sicill Spaine In the yeere 735. they vanquished Narbon Auignion Tolouse Burdeâ—â— and the bordering regions Thus by little and little went the westerne Empire to ruine As for the easterne it stood so weake and tottering that with all the force it had it was scarce able to defend Constantinople against the armes of the Sarracens much lesse to minister aide to the westerne prouinces But in the yeere of our Lord 800. Charles the great king of France obtained the title of the westerne Empire which Ado bishop of Vienna remembreth in these words Vpon the holy feast day of the natiuitle of our Lord assoone as the mightie king Charles had made an end of his praiers Leo the Pope set the Imperiall crowne vpon his head whereat all the people with one voice cried Câ—â—olâ— Augusto 〈◊〉 Deo coronatâ— magno pacifico Imperatori Romanorum vita â— victoria The westerne Empire was diuided from the easterne in this sort that Naples and Sipont eastward with Sicill should belong to the Greeke Empire Bononâ—a should remaine to the Lombards the Venetians were neuters the popedome free the rest Charles should possesse Bloudus saith that the Empresse Iren gaue the first
comprehended the better part of the ancient threefold diuision of the earth He holdeth in Europe the whole sea coast which from the borders of Epidaurus stretcheth it selfe to the mouth of Tanais whatsoeuer lieth betweene Buda and Constantinople and from the Euxine sea to the banks of Savus is his In that perambulation is contained Hungarie all Bosnia Seruia Bulgaria Macedon Epire Greece Peloponnese Thrace and the Archipelago with the Ilands He holdeth in Asia and Afrike all that is betweene Velez de la Gomera and Alexandria in Egypt betweene Bugia and Guargula betweene Alexandria and the citie Siene and from the citie Suez as farre as Swachen The hugenes of this territorie may be imagined by the circuit of some of the parcels Palus Meotis which is wholy his spreadeth it selfe one thousand miles into the land two thousand and seuen hundred miles do hardly incompasse the Euxine sea The coast of the Mediterranean sea as much as is subiect to him containeth in circuit 8000. miles Egypt wholy his is esteemed fiue hundred miles long From Tauris to Buda is 3000. and 200. miles so far it is from Derbent vpon the Caspian sea to Aden vpon the red sea and from Balsara vpon the Persian gulfe to Tremissen in Barbarie is accounted little lesse then 4000 miles In the sea he is Lord of the most noble Ilands of Ciprus Euboea Rhodes Samos Chio Lesbos and many other in the Archipelago In this progresse are contained many most puissant kingdomes abounding with all sorts of sustenance for the vse of man What prouince is richer in corne then Egypt Africko Syria and Asia What region more flowing with all good things then Hungarie Greece and Thrace In these prouinces hath the Turke fower cities of inestimable wealth Constantinople Cair Aleppo and Tauris Constantinople exceedeth all the cities in Europe in populousnes for it is thought that there are therein more then 700. thousand persons which if it be true it is twice as much as may be said of Paris Aleppo is a great citie in Syria and the staple of the whole traffike of Asia Tauris was the seate of the kings of Persia but taken from them in our daies and thought to containe more then 200. thousand persons Amongst all the cities of Africke Cair by many degrees may challenge the principalitie though some men compare Cano to it for greatnes It may well be called the garner not onely of Egypt but of the greater part of Africke and India whose treasures being conueied by the red sea and from thence to Cair vpon the backs of camels are at length distributed through all the regions of the Mediterranean sea This Empire from finall beginnings hath risen to such greatnes partly by their owne armes partly by the discords of the Christians that at this day it is the onely terror of the Christian commonwealth It hath been their hereditarie practise to stand vpon their garde and to preuent their enemies in their iourneies to vse admirable celeritie to keepe their forces readie and to haue them at hand not to haue many irons at one time in the fire nor long to manage warre with one nation least by practise they become better warriors then themselues not to spend their time and treasure in voyages of base account nor at one cast to set at all but to proceede leisurely and aduisedly and which is not the least policie amongst many that their princes march in person in most of their actions Diuers other lessons they obserue by which in the space of 300. yeeres they attained vnto a most mightie dominion and that too since the yeere 1500. to this day they haue almost doubled Their gouernment is meerely tyrannicall for the great Turke is so absolute a Lord of all things contayned within the bounds of his dominions that the inhabitants doe account themselues his slaues not his subiects no man is master of himselfe much lesse of his house wherein he dwelleth or of the field which he tilleth excepting certaine families in Constantinople to whom for some good seruice immunitie was graunted by Mahumet the second Neither any man be he neuer so great standeth secure of his life his goods or estate longer then Durante beneplacito of the Grand-Seignior By two policies he establisheth this tyrannicall gouernment by disfurnishing the people of weapons and by putting all commands into the hands of renegados whom he taketh as tithe from their parents in their childhood By this subtilty he gleaneth the prouinces of the flower sinewes of their strength for the likeliest and ablest springals are chosen and secondly with the same meanes he armeth himselfe and secureth his estate For these Ianizars being taken from the laps of their parents and deliuered to the trayning of this or that schoolemaster are made Mahumetans before they perceiue it and so by reason of their yoong yeeres forgetting their father and mother depend wholy vpon the pleasure of the Grand-Seignior yeelding him all dutifull and acceptable seruice as their maintainer and aduancer to honor and riches His forces consist in horsemen footemen shipping corne and treasure As touching his treasure it is generally receiued that he inioyeth little lesse then eight millions of ordinarie reuenue And where some men thinke that out of so large a dominion a greater reuenue may be raised therein they deceiue themselues for not calling to remembrance that the Turkes giue their minds to nothing but warre nor take care of any thing else but prouision of armour and weapons courses fitter to destroy and waste then to preserue and inrich prouinces Hereupon to maintaine their armies and to continue their expeditions they doe so pill and spoile the people that they hardly leaue them wherewith to hold life and soule together And therefore the poore men not sure of so much as their houshold prouisions much lesse of their wealth which by time and industrie they may gather take no more paines about their husbandrie and traffique then they needs must yea no more then their owne necessitie as neere as they can shall inforce them to make cleere at the yeeres ende For say they why should we sow and another reape Or why should we reape and another deuoure the reward of our labours This is the cause that in the Ottaman dominions you shall see admirable huge woods all things laide waste few cities well peopled especially the better part of the fields lie vnmanured In our countries by the abundance of people ariseth the decrenes of victuals and in Turkie through the scar sitie of inhabitants The greatest number of the husbandmen perish with carrying prouision and other necessaries to the remote places through which their armies are to trauell In their galleies likewise falleth most commonly so great mortalitie that of ten thousand rowers haled from their houses scant the fourth part returneth againe This the rather happeneth because the Turkes in winter time moring their galleies do not inure their mariners and gally-slaues to the change of
offence but that the same might be turned to defence of which kind are castles built of later times and the deuises of moderne fortification And therefore the closest castles are neuer accounted the best because they which are forced to guard such places are depriued of the facilitie of offending the enimie by sallies shot wilde-fire and such like all which and many other stratagemes were easily performed in an open hold But of all inuentions there is none more admirable then that of fortification for euen the termes thereof as Curtains counterscarps parapets trenches vamures mines and countermines casemats and such like phrases are verie ingenious and misticall for by this arte fewe soldiers haue resisted great armies and a small place made tenable hath wasted the forces and treasures of a mightie Emperour As well witnessed the fortunes of 800. Portugals at Damain vpon the coast of Cambaia who by this arte scorned and deluded the whole forces and attempts of this mightie Mogor The kingdome of China IN times past the kingdome of China hath beene farre larger then now it is For it appeereth by their histories containing the Annales of 2000. yeeres and vpwards and by other of their manuscript Cronicles written in their owne language whose fragments are yet to be seene that their kings were Lords almost of all the sea coast of Asia from the streight of Anian to the kingdome of Pegu the prouinces of Meletai Bacam Calan Boraga and other territories situated vpon the north side of Pegu where their monuments with their epitaphes deuises are to be seene at this day For in all the foresaid regions the reliques of their ancient ceremonies whereby the knowledge of the Mathematiques as the diuision of the yeere into monethes the Zodiake into twelue signes true testimonies of their emperie are obserued and taught by tradition Neither is the time long sithence all those kingdomes accoūted the king of China their soueraigne sending their ambassadors with presents to his court euery third yeere These ambassadors ought to be fower at least for before they could arriue at their iourneies end some of thē either by remotenes of place difficult accesse of audience or delay in dispatch could not but surely die those whose chance it was to scape the Chinois in some set banquet would poison erect vnto them stately tombes with the inscription of their names the place from whence they came with the title of ambassadors thereby say they to commit to eternitie the remembrance of the bounds of their empire They inlarged their dominions no lesse vpon the Ocean then vpon the continent For they first of all inuaded the Iles of the Orient next them followed the Giau◠then the Malaccans and Moores and lastly the Portugals and Castilians who hold them at this day But none of these nations were of equall power and magnificence to the Chinois for besides the conquest of the bordering Iles which in regarde of their numbers their spaciousnes and fertilitie were of great reckoning they became Lords of the greatest part of all the inhabitable places in that vast Archipelago euen to Zeilan where they left their speech caracters as also they did the like vpon the opposite continent We read also in the papers of certain Iesuits that in one quarter of the Iland of S. Laurence they found white people which said that they descended of the Chinois They first discouered the Moluccas gaue names to the spices planted colonies in many of them which to this present keepe their old names as Batta China a Muar Batta China Mauri Batta signifieth a towne Batta China a towne of the Chinois It is likewise thought that the inhabitants of Iaua descended of them to speak truth there is no great difference between their maner of liuing clothing building industrie traffik manuall occupations But after the shipwrack of 80. vessels and the losse of their people in the sea of Zeilan comparing their profit with their losse they resolued to trie no more such hazards but to containe thēselues within their owne bounds And to cause this edict to be inuiolably obserued they enact ed that none thereafter vpon paine of the losse of his head should offer to saile into those parts the kings themselues did euer after abstaine from future inuasions For sithence they enioy a very earthly paradise where nature and arte are at strife to content the inhabitants where no good thing is wanting but much superfluous and to spare what mad men would consume their bodies and treasures in getting those things which are more chargeable to get then profitable to keepe Polibius writeth that vpon the same reasons the olde Carthaginians forsooke part of those things which before they had conquered The Romanes after they had suffered a greenous losse of their best vessels in the second Punicke warre in meere dispaire bid nauigation adieu but afterwardes perceiuing that they who were commanders of the sea were likely to prooue Lords of the land built a new nauie and at length saw the successe answere their latest opinions Therefore can we not but ascribe this resolution of the Chinois rather to good conscience and aduisednes then to wisedome or good policie For seeing there can be no greater follie then to hazard our owne goods vpon hope to gaine anothers to waste the borders of our owne dominions to inuade our neighbours to shed our owne blood vpon desire to spill a strangers it is more honorable and worthie the office of a king to content himselfe with his owne right rather then by wrong to possesse anothers Content breedes stabilitie conquest brings care to see to the conquered therefore why should any prince weare out himselfe to inlarge his dominion if inlargement doe not onely doe no good but euen spoileth that which was good before making that vncertaine which before was certaine and weakening that which before was strong Let a wise prince vtterly refraine such iournies if they bring not assured securitie and more then common profit For securitie is one scale wherein a state hangeth which if the beame stand true must onely aime at that which is likely to breede greater securitie and that is the seising vpon streights sconces passages and fit places to remooue the enemie far away In the other scale should hang profit that is by conquering those prouinces which are rich or able to yeeld all kinde of prouision for liuing creatures and furniture for warre and shipping But to returne to the Chinois When this surrender was resolued in full counsell they set the people whom they had vanquished free yet some of their good wils remained feodaries shadowing their estates vnder the wings of their puissance as the kings of Corea Lequi Canchinchina and Siam And notwithstanding their retrait within their owne bounds yet possesse they a dominion little lesse then all Europe for from the North towards the South it reacheth from 17. to 52. degrees from the East to the West are 22. degrees
of their bodie as blinde lame tall bold c. This king is verie puissant in people of whom he exacteth no other tribute then the tenths of the increase of their liuely hoods For exercise and insteed of occupations they giue themselues to steale to slay their neighbours and to take them prisoners and then to barter them for horses with the merchants of Barbarie He hath vnder him many kingdomes and nations some white some blacke He is an heauie enemie to the Abessines taking away their cattell rifling their mines and leading away the people in captiuitie His horsemen ride after the Spanish manner armed with lances steeled at both ends darts and arrowes but their inrodes resemble rather robberies and garboiles then wars managed by valiant soldiers The Turke likewise on the east and the king of Adel on the southeast do cruelly vexe him for they haue curtald his large dominion and brought his prouinces into great miserie In the yeere 1558. the Turke harried the whole territorie of Bernagasso but since expulsed and tooke from Prester Iohn whatsoeuer he was Lord of vpon that sea coast especially the hauen and citie of Suaquen and Erococo in which place the mountaines betweene Abex and the red sea make a gate as it were for the traffique and carriages of the Abessines and Arabians And sithence that Bernangasso was inforced to submit himselfe to the Turkish commands to buy his peace and in name of a tribute to pay one thousand ounces of gold yeerely The king of Adel is his no lesse infestious enemie he bordereth vpon the kingdome of Fatigar and his siegniorie stretcheth alongst the red sea as far as Assum Salir Meth Barbora Pidar and Zeila Many ships come from Aden and Cambaia to Barbora with merchandise which they trucke for flesh honie wax and vittail these commodities are carried to Aden gold iuorie and such wares are sent to Cambaia the greatest part of vittail honie wax corne and fruits brought from Zeila are carried into Aden and Arabia as likewise much cattell especially sheepe hauing tailes of 25. pound weight with heads and necks all blacke the rest of their bodies all white Of these cattell there are some altogether white with turning crooked tailes as long as a mans arme and dewlaps like oxen Some of their kine haue hornes with many branches like our deere othersome haue one horne in their forehead growing backward a span and halfe long The chiefe citie of this kingdome is Arar 38. leagues distant from Zeila towardes the southeast He professeth Mahumetisme and since his conuersion he hath intitled himselfe with the sirname of Holy aâ—owing continuall war against the Abessine Christians and therefore he watcheth the time of the foresaid fast of fiftie daies when he entreth their territories burneth their villages taketh prisoners and then committeth a thousand other mischiefes The Abessine slaues doe often leaue their countrie and take vpon them great iournies putting themselues in the seruice of great Lords where many times by their industrie and good carriage they become high commaunders in Arabia Cambaia Bengala and Sumatra For the Mahumetan princes being all tyrants Lords of those countries which they haue forced from the Gentils to secure their estates doe neuer trust their home-bred subiects but wage strangers and slaues vnto whose fidelitie they commit their persons and the managing of all the affaires of their kingdomes And amongst all sorts of slaues the Abessine is in greatest esteeme for his faithfulnes and towardly disposition The king of Adel ouerlaieth Egypt and Arabia with these slaues which hee changeth with the Turks and princes of Arabie for armour prouision of warre and soldiers In the yeere of our Lord 1500. Claud king of Abex perceiuing himselfe inferior to Grad-Ameda king of Adel for he had vexed his land with 14. yeeres incursions forsaking the frontires retired himselfe into the inward parts of his kingdome intreating for aide of Stephen Gama viceroy of India vnder Iohn the third king of Portugall who was then in the red sea with a warlike nauie In compassion of his miseries and religion he sent him fower hundred Portugall-shot very well furnished vnder the conduct of Christopher his brother By their aide and vse of their artillerie he ouerthrew his enemies in two battels but the king of Adel obtaining of the gouernor of the citie of Zebit one thousand harquebushers and ten pieces of ordinance in the third fight put the Portugals to flight and slew their captaine Afterwards when Adel had sent away these Turkes king Claudius set vpon him at vnawares by the riuer Zeila and the mountaine Sana with eight thousand footemen fiue hundred Abessine horsemen and the remainder of the liuing Portugals one of whome gaue Grada-Amada his deaths wound But in March 1509. Claudius fighting with the Moores of Malaca gaining the victorie was slaine in the battel Adam his brother succeeded against whom being a demi-Mahumetan the greatest part of the Abessine nobilitie rebelled and was ouerthrowne in the yeere 1562. by Bernagasso By this casualtie did the Aethiopian affaires ebbe flow vntill in the raigne of Alexander things began in some sort to returne to their ancient estate by the aide of the Portugals who furnished them with weapons both offensiue and defensiue and by their examples incouraged them to be stout and couragious against their enemies All that were liuing after the defeature of Christopher Gama and all that euer went thither since that day to this doe still remaine there marrying wiues and begetting children King Alexander gaue them leaue to elect a Iusticer and to end all matters of controuersie amongst themselues which maketh them so willing to stay and to teach them the vse of their weapons the manner of our warfare and how to fortifie passages and places of importance Sithence those times Francis Medices contracting friendship with the Abessine diuers Florentines some for pleasure and some for profit haue trauelled into those prouinces wherein when they are once entred the king intreateth them so faire and giueth them so largely whereupon to liue that they can hardly obtaine licence to returne againe into their owne countries Besides these he hath other enemies as the king of Dancali whose citie and hauen is Vela vpon the red sea and the Moores of Doba a prouince diuided into foureteene Lieutenantships These people though they are accounted within the limits of the Abessine Empire yet doe they often rebell hauing a law amongst themselues that no yoong man may contract matrimonie vnlesse he can bring good proofe that he hath slaine twelue Christians Monomotapa IN the residue of Aethiop raigne diuers powerfull princes as the kings of Adel Monomugi Monomotapa Angola and Congo of which as yet we vnderstand very little But that the Reader by the description of one may coniecture of the rest I wil speake somwhat of the state policie of Monomotapa because it is mightier and more famous then the rest This kingdome containeth all that Iland which lieth between the riuers of Cuama and Spirito Santo a territorie of 150. leagues in compasse and from Spirito Santo it stretcheth euen to the Cape of Good Hope for the Vizeroys of that huge tract do acknowledge him for their soueraigne and supreme gouernour of townes villages they haue few those cottages which they haue consist of timber and tâ—ach One of their chiefe cities is called Zimbas and other Benema taxa the one fifteene miles the other 21. distant from Cefala towards the west The soile aboundeth with corne with cattle great and small wandring by heards through the fields and woods By the store of teeth from thence transported we may coniecture that lesse then 5000. elephants cannot but die yeerely in this countrey These beasts are here very great There is no climate like it for plentie of gold for by report there are 3000. mines whereout gold is digged gold is likewise found in the earth in rocks and riuers The mines of Manica Boro Quiticui and Toroe which some men call Butua are the richest The people are meane of stature black wel set They conuerse with the king kneeling on their knees and to sit in his presence is the vse with them as with vs to stand and that is granted but to great lords The assay of meate and drinke is not made before but after the prince hath eate and drunke Heere are no prisons because law passeth vpon the offendor in the very moment wherein the offence was committed The offences most seuerely punished are witchcraft theft and adulterie They pay no other tribute but certaine daies worke and presents without the which no man may appeere in the princes presence The king beareth in his coat of armes a certaine little spade with an Iuorie handle and two small darts He keepeth for his faithfullest guard two hundred dogs He keepeth the heires of his vassall princes to be secured of their parents loyaltie One of the kings not long sithence was conuerted and Baptized by Gonsalua Silua a Iesuite with the greater part of his courtiers but afterwards by the perswasion of certaine Moores in great credite about him he caused him to be slaine Sebastian king of Portugall offended heereat proclaimed warre against him vnder the leading of Francisco Barreâ—â—o This armie consisted of sixeteene hundred the greatest part gentlemen to whom the Monomotapa fearing their armes and valour offered honorable conditions but the captaine whom no offer or indiffeferencie could satisfie was ouercome and his armie vtterlie consumed yet not by the enimie but by sicknes and the infectious aire of the countrey FINIS Faults escaped Page 17. lin 30. for lanciers read men at armes Page 20. lin 38. for defensible r. defeasible Page 24. lin 22. for supremacie r. soueraigntie Page 28. lin penult these words without relation to the kingly authoritie are superfluous Page 65. lin 30. for it might r. he might Page 65. lin 34. for he is immediate r. mediate he is Page 127. lin 24. for can be wanting r. cannot be wanting 1597.
in these daies by the conquest of the great Turke they are much diminished and it is thought that they amount to little more then two millions but the feodarie landes townes and villages which are very many supply a great part of the pay due to the companies of the horsemen aboue mentioned Towards the East bordereth the Mogor vpon the North the Zagatai Towards the West the Turke possesseth a large frontire vpon the South lieth Ormus and therein the Portugals With the Mogors he is little troubled For as Spaine France by reason of the narrow streights difficult passages ouer the mountaines cannot easily conuey necessaries the life of an armie to infest one another so towards the frontiers of India and Cambaia prouinces belonging to the Mogors high mountaines vast deserts keepe good peace betweene these two princes Yet infest they one another on the borders of Cabul Sablestan of which certaine Lords of the Mogors haue gotten the dominion He commeth not neere the borders of the great Cham betweene whom certaine petie princes and impassible deserts doe oppose themselues It seemeth that towards the Zagatai he standeth content with those bounds which the riuer Oxus hath laid out for he neuer durst passe it when Zaba king of the Zagatai had passed it he was ouerthrowne with a great slaughter by Ismael So againe was Cyrus by Tomiris who slew him and all his host The Turke is a borderer all alongst the westerne coast of this whole empire euen from the Caspian sea to the gulfe of Saura a tract almost of 15. degrees He hath no enemie like dangerous to this prince more to be feared or of greater power at whose hands in all conflicts for the most part he hath reaped nothing but losse and dishonor Mahumet the second ouerthrew Vssanchan and tooke from Dauid his vassall and confederate the empire of Trapezond Selim the first ouerthrew Ismael in Campania and tooke from him Caramit Orfa Merdis and all the territorie which they call Alech Soliman put Tamas to flight and tooke from him Babylon and all Mesopotamia In our daies Amarath woon whatsoeuer lieth betweene Derbent and Tauris wherein is comprehended Georgia and Siruan and by building of fortresses in Testis Sumachia and Ere 's assured the passages of Chars Tomanis and Lori He is Lord of all that lieth betweene Erzirum and Orontes a riuer three daies iournie beyond Tauris In this citie he caused a citadell to be built not minding to leaue it as did Selim and Soleman but thereby as with a curbe to bridle and keepe it for euer In this warre which lasted from the yeere 1591. to 1597. the Turks altered their forme of warfare For whereas they were woont to lay their whole hopes vpon their numbers the valor of their horsmen and footemen their store of artillerie and warlike furniture scorning to be cooped vp in castles and fortresses for the most part burning whatsoeuer they became Lords of and little caring to keepe what they had conquered supposing it no good policie to strengthen townes by weakning their companies in these wars to auoide the inconueniences whereinto Selim and Soliman were plunged were glad to build strong places vpon commodious passages and citadels in the chiefest townes furnishing them with good garrisons and great store of artillerie This warre cost them very deere for by surprises by famine and extremities of weather infinite thousands perished yet alwaies to the losse of the Persian or his confederates In the field the Persian is farre inferior to the Turke in numbers and goodnes of footemen in ordinance in all sorts of warlike furniture and the chiefest stay of a state in obedience of subiects Notwithstanding if Selim Soliman or Amarath had not been allured either by rebellion or intestine discords they durst not haue medled with this warre Selim was called in to the aide of Marabeg the sonne of Ossan a most mightie prince in Persia. Soliman came in aide of Elcaso the brother of Tamas hateful to his soueraigne for his ambition and aspiring humor and in the end abused the credit and good will of the people towards Elcaso to the furtherance of his owne desseignes Amurath neuer tooke weapon in hand against this people before he vnderstood by the letters of Mustafa Bassa of Van that all Persia was in vprore about the election of a newe prince thereby certifying him that some had chosen Ismael some Ayner both sonnes of Tamas and that Periacocona slaying her owne brother Ismael and betraying Ayner had procured the kingdome to Mahumet Codobanda After this mischiefe fell those fatalliars betweene Codabanda and his sonne and betweene the Turcoman nation a mighty familie in Persia and the king a faction no lesse disastrous to the state of Persia then the warre of Turkie Against the Portugals of Ormus for want of sea forces he stirreth not and againe for want of land forces the Portugals are not able to molest his vpland countries Tamas being counselled to make a voiage against Ormus asked what commodities the Iland brought forth whether corne cattell fruit or what other good thing When it was answered that the soile was vtterly barren and destitute of all prouision but excellent well seated for traffike and nauigation scoffing at the motion replied that of this kinde of reuenue he had released vnto his people aboue ninetie thousand Tomana The kingdome of Iapan IApan may well be called a politike bodie compacted of many sundry Ilands of diuers different formes circuits which as they are diuided from the rest of the cōtinent so are they inhabited by a people much differing in manners customes from the residue of the Orient They stand round and close togither like the Maldinae in the Indian sea and the Hebrides and Orchades in the north Ocean They are in number 66. diuided into three partialities The first conteineth nine the second fower the third fiftie three Amongst these fiue are renowmed but especially one for the famous citie of Macao And it is most commonly seene that they who haue the soueraigntie of those fiue are Lords of all the rest It is distant from new Spaine 150. leagues from China 60. The soile is to be accounted rather barren then fertile The inhabitants are of a very readie wit and marueilous patient in aduersitie Their new borne children they immediately wash in the riuers and assoone as they are weaned they take them from their mothers and bring them vp in labours of hunting and such like exercises They go bare headed men and women as well in foule weather as faire They are very ambitious and desirous of honor Pouertie is no disgrace to the Gentrie of their bloud They will not suffer the least wrong to passe vnreuenged they salute one another with many curtesies they are verie staied and of a setled resolution They are very iealous to shew themselues fearefull or base minded in word or deed they will make no man priuie of their losses or
misfortunes they haue the like beasts both tame and wilde as we haue but they will scarcely eate any thing saue herbes fish barly or rice and if they do it is the flesh of wilde beasts taken by hunting Of these graines they make their wines and water mixt with a certaine precious powder which they vse they account a daintie beuerage they call it Chia Their buildings for the most part are of timber partly because the vpland places are destitute of quarries but abounding with cedars of admirable height and thicknes fit for building and partly because the countrey is very subiect to earthquakes In times past all Iapan obeied one prince shewing him great obedience and subiection and this gouernment indured with no lesse state and maiestie at the least 1600. yeeres vntill about 50. yeeres sithence by the rebellion of two of his chiefest lieutenants the whole kingdome was distracted each of them holding by armes whatsoeuer he atchiued by vsurpation By their example others becomming as ambitious seised vpon the rest of the kingdome some on one part some on an other leauing nothing but the bare name of Dairi which signifieth the Lord of all Iapan with the title of Iucata viz. king to their rightfull soueraigne Yea those princes which were Lords of the territories about Meaco would hardly allow him whereof to find him victuall apparel so that now he resembleth the shadow rather then the king of the ancient magnificent Monarchie of Iapan Sithence those times whosoeuer laieth holdfast on the dominion of the Coquinai those are the fiue kingdomes bordering vpon Meaco in steed of Dairi calleth himselfe Emperour and king of Iapan and Lord of Tenza Nabunanga was one of them in our daies and after him Fassia in power and maiestie excelling all his predecessors Nabunanga was Lord of 36. prouinces Fassih at the least of fiftie Their forme of gouernment is nothing like the policie of Europe The strength of the Prince consisteth not in ordinarie reuenues and loue of the people but in rigor and the princes pleasure Assoone as the prince hath conquered one or more kingdomes he shareth them wholy amongst his friends and followers who binde themselues by oath faithfully to serue him with a limited company of men as well in peace as warre They againe to make their followers trustie and readie for all seruices reseruing some small matter for the sustentation of themselues and their families diuide to euerie man a portion of the former diuision so that all the wealth of Iapan priuate and publike is in the hand of a few men and those few depending vpon the pleasure of one that is the Lord of Tenza He as him listeth giueth taketh disgraceth honoreth inricheth and impouerisheth When he casleth any gouernor of his prouince all the leaders and soldiers of the said prouince are changed and none left there but artificers and husbandmen This gouernment draweth with it continuall dislike and innouations For Dairy though he hath neither power nor gouernment yet being in fauour estimation of the people ceaseth not to insinuate into their heads that this Lord of Tenza and the other tyrants are vsurpers of other mens right destroyers of the monarchie and enimies to the state and libertie of Iapan Which perswasions take so deepe roote in the harts of the people and so extenuate the reputation of these vsurpers that vnder colour of suppression of others they often take armes vpon hope to raise their owne greatnes so that by this daily chaunge of gouernors the people not knowing who are their right and natural Lords know not whom to loue and obey and againe their Lords being as vncertaine of their continuance care not for the people nor for the welfare of their own vassals no more then if they were meer straÌ„gers but alwaies aspiring by the same facility wherby they gained one to conquer a better after the manner of gaâ—â—esters continually hazard one vpon hope of winning another in this sort sometime one alone sometime many together vexing the Ilands with perpetuall warfar Fassiha to assure his estate and disable the great ones from enterprising against him doth often transport them from one prouince to another causing them to forgoe their ancient inheritances and to lead their liues amongst vnknowen neighbours neither in those places will he suffer them to inioy liuings vnited but far diuided in pieces and parcels For all this they are neuer at peace amongst themselues by reason that the frontires of their pettie iurisdictions neighbour so neere one vpon another In these alterations Fassiha constrayned as well the loosers as the winners to doe him homage and obeysance and once a yeere to pay him a rich tribute drawing to his owne coffers the greatest part of the wealth of Iapan by these tyrannies He keepeth his owne people busied in building of admirable palaces sumptuous temples townes fortresses the like whereof are no where to be seene In these workes he hath more then an hundred thousand workmen labouring in their seuerall occupations at their owne charges Amongst the rest he is now in building a temple for whose iron workes all the stuffe in Iapan will hardly suffice and therefore he hath giuen commandement to all his people and merchants to bring all their iron and armor into one place Besides the oath of fealtie whereby the residue of the kings and princes are bound to aide and assist him in peace and warre he receiueth yeerely two millions arising of the profits of rice reserued vpon his owne possessions He was determined after the finishing of these fabriks to attempt a iourney into China and for that enterprise caused timber sufficient for the building of two thousand vessels for transportation to be felled By these magnificent fabriks this haughtie resolution this large dominion and conquest of forreine kingdomes he hopeth to attaine the reputation of immortalitie amongst his subiects as diuers of his predecessors haue done before him For Amida Xaca Canis and Fotoque were no other then Lords of Iapan which either for their glorie in warre or inuention of some good arts in peace were accounted as gods amongst the Iaponians as in the old world Hercules and Bâ—cchus were amongst the Graecians and Saturne and Ianuâ— amongst the Italians Of these demi-gods they report as many strange and fabulous inuentions as the Graecians and Italians did of theirs But Fassiha vnderstanding by the preaching of the Iesuits that there can be no God but one who created the heauen and earth of nothing and all other deities to be foolish and detestable determined to banish them all and to weed vp that good vine which began to take deepe roote in those prouinces Surely this may stand for a memorable example of the pride and blindenesse of mans hart The Romane Emperors opposed their forces against Christian religion onely to maintaine and vphold the worship of their idols condemned for vaine and diuelish by the law of Christianitie but this man raiseth persecution