great abundance of moisture which is necessary for the greatness of the Fruit it bears and the quantity of Esura or Wine which this Fruit renders Of the Nut of this Palm-Tree so celebrated in the Indies they draw abundance of Meat and Drink There aâ—â— plenty of these Coco's or Maldives but amongst others they remark one sort thereof which comes from the bottom of the Sea the Fruit is bigger than the common Palm 't is also very dear amongst the Portugals who suppose it to have a great Virtue for the Disease of the Lungs and for the Astmatiques or Shortness of Breath and against Poison The Nut thereof is very great long and black in form of a Gondale The Tree that bears this Fruit is not to be seen growing at the bottom of the Sea but when the Sea is agitated the Fruit is born from the bottom to the top and is found upon the Shore I come now to my return when the Senior Andre Furtado de Mondoso returning to Portugal sent for me to go with him We parted then from the Bar of Goa the 2d of Jan. 1610. Being Embark'd in a Ship called Nostra Segniora di Beigna di Francia which was very heavily laden and cumbered insomuch that 't was no small confusion to be there Andre Furtado was very sick when he Embark'd At last we set sail with a great deal of trouble because the Ship had Cinnamon almost as far as the middle of the Mast every day taking care to put by so much out of the way The 16th of January we saw the Desarts of Arabia and sailed with a very good Wind as far as the Land of Crimbe or Country of the Abassins and passed along by the Coast the 9th of Feb. But the 11th we feared to be lost by a contrary Wind the Ship beating upon the Sea and drawing in much Water The Senior Andre Furtado sick as he was seeing this extremity got upon the Deck to order the Ship to be lightned and pumped and about 300 Black Slaves with some Mariners were 3 days and nights and had much ado to empty it The 15th of Feb. we saw the Isle of St. Lawrence mightily covered with Fog and bearing about to pass the Cape of Good-Hope with a favourable Gale of Wind we passed it the 16th of March. Being at the height of the Isle of St. Helens we were in great doubt whether we should go on Shore to take there some fresh Water and the Passengers and Mariners disputed stifly against the Master and Pilot but they put it all to the Sieur Andre Furtado who was then mortally Sick and who said that he had no Orders from the King of Spain to go to the said Isle except it was in case of great necessity and that he feared to find there some Enemies who might give them trouble it being the place where they commonly came Thereupon he commanded a review to be taken of the fresh Water that remained to know if it would hold out for every one to have half a Pint a day for 4 Months for we reckoned we had so long to sail This enquiry exactly made 't was found within a very small matter of this measure so that we made the best of our way the Wind being favourable We could not persuade Senior Andre Furtado tho he was sick to repoâ—e himself in this little Isle of St. Helen so that in the end this poor Gentleman being weakened and overcome with sickness died the first of April His Body was Embalmed that it might be carried to Portugal for in the Ships there is never want of Camfre Benjoin and Aromatical Things for that purpose There was a Portugal Barber who knew only how to Shave and let Blood and having a mind to make Balm in causing the Benjoin to be melted and to fill the Body therewith I releived him from this trouble and apparent Error and made him acknowledge his Fault and so having Embalmed the Body and put it in a Coffin It was laid up in the Guard-Robe of the Chamber with a lighted Lamp by it and we carried it without any smell or inconveniency as far as Lisbon We passed close by the Isles of the Aâ—ores and along by them were great debates betwixt those of the Ship some were resolved to go on shore by force which the Captain the Master and Pilot would by no means yeild too This came all from the passenger Souldiers who came to dispatch their business in Portugal for Recompence of their Services in the Indies For then the King gives them some Captain-ships of Fortresses in the Indies But the Captain caused some of the most Mutinous to come before him for they were ready to lay hold upon their Arms and made no small stir and ado thinking themselves still in the Indies but he soon made them to know their duty and persuing our course with a very good wind we arrived at Cuscais the 2d of July and the next day I went on shore leaving all my things on Board which were there above a Month without being able to get them out there being Guards which stole them all away At the Months end the Kings Duty being paid the small things were brought on Shore and there was several who found their Chests fast shut but nothing within them I was one of those also but it was small loss to me not having brought back any thing of value from those Countries where I had nothing but bad fortune and was very well content that I was safely returned tho I was not a little indisposed in my person because of these salt and spiced waters which I had then been forc'd to drink till they so heated my Stomack that my mouth cast out burning Vapours and I could scaree quench my thirst At length being restored to my health by cooling remedies and seeing my self strong enough to reassume the way to my dear native Country where I had a great desire to see my self again after so many satigues and dangers I embarked the 17th of August in a Ship belonging to one Picare Simon of Rochelle and in our Company was another Ship called also the Dauphin of Rochelle But being in the Sea we were so beaten with Storms that the Dauphin mightily desired us to keep by them but one Night in a very great Storm her Sails split and tore to pieces they were forced to bend their main Top Sail in stead of their main Sail insomuch that in the Morning we saw her at above 3 Leagues of us and had put abroad their Ensign to cause us to come up to her which we did as soon as might be and coming near her we saw them crying out for Misericorde or mercy for they were sinking We boarded them at the Poop and they saved themselves who could in our Ship it was a great pity to see them in this extremity I saved one of them along by the side who fell from the Stern of our Ship
at his Micouart or Palace he commanded all their Heads to be chopped off African Faith which he sent to his Father at Fez who was not so well pleased thereat as he expected because he had deceived the Marabou This was the State of the Affairs of these Princes Now as I passed one day about the Alcasaue which is the King's House I saw a Cannon cast of a wonderful bigness and being surprised at the greatness of the size I was told that it had been made for a certain Alcayde Story of an Alcayde a great Favourite who had a mind to betray a King of Morocco But the King having discovered the Treason by the means of one of his Letters Hereupon one day without making shew of any thing demanded by way of question of this Alcayde if there was a Servant dearly Beloved of his Master and nevertheless who sought to Kill what such a Servant would deserve The Alcayde presently answered that he deserved to be put alive into a Cannon and to be shot out like a Ball to which the King replied That he himself deserved Justice of a â—raytor the same Punishment and thereupon shewinâ— him the Letter writ by his own Hand the other remained all astonished and benummed and then the King ordered this Cannon to be made in which he commanded to be put this â—lcayde to fire him out as he himself had fore-judged by his own Mouth according as the Treason deserved In the City of Morocco there are a great number of Christian Captives as well Men as Women who are brought there to be sold from all Parts of Barbary Now it happened upon a time that a Christian Maid History of a Christian Maid and hâ—r Martyrdom being Slave in a great House of the City instructed a young Woman of the same House in the Christian Religion teaching her secretly her Belief insomuch that this Damsel engrafted so well the Law of the True God in her Heart that it was impossible for her former Teachers to make her learn any more of the Alcoran or Law of Mahomet and kept her self constant in the Religion of the Slave without going any more to the Mosque The King being informed thereof sent for this New Convert to come before him and Threatning her that if she would not renounce the Law of the Christians he would put her to Death She generously answered that she did not fear Death and that all the Torments of the World should not make her quit the Belief she had acquir'd The King seeing this commanded her to be put into the Hands of the Haquin or great Judge to be put to Death But she being resolved not to make any shew that she feared Death and about to be executed the King asked her again if she would not be Converted to their Law again But she answered that their Law signified nothing in reference to Salvation and that she would Die for the Love of him who had suffered Death for us When this barbarous King saw that all these Prayers and Remonstrances were in vain he endeavoured once more to divert her from this Resolution promising to Marry her to one of his highest Court Favourites But she mocked the more at all his Promises at which the King being enraged commanded her to be Beheaded which was done accordingly And thus Christianly and constantly this innocent and vertuous Damsel suffered Martyrdom Now as I curiously visited this City of Morocco I entered one day into Kings-Palace the Micouart or Palace of the King and saw in the first Court extraordinary fine Buildings A-la-Moresque with Fountains and a great many Orange and Lemon-Trees laden with Fruit But at the second Court where I also entered were little Galleries sustained with Pillars of White Marble so well cut and contrived that the best Workmen would admire the Workman-ship thereof and upon the Ground were a great number of Vessels of Marble full of clear and fresh Water where I saw the Moors wash themselves before their going to Rehearse their Sala or Prayers But as soon as they espied me they began to cry out and run after me which made me mend my pace in good earnest to get presently from thence I saw in another Garden a very fine Fish Pond of Stone Work where the Moors Bath themselves and found there some Moorish Women who were washing their â—lquisayes or Vails after that they had washed their Bodies After this I went to see the Lions Lions And the History of a Lion and a Dog which were shut up in a great ruinous House open at the top and to be mounted one pair of Stairs and saw there many remarkable things but one more particularly which was concerning a Dog who had formerly been cast to the Lions for their Food for one of the Lions and the oldest of all the others who feared him took this Dog that had been cast in under his Paws as if he would have devoured him but having a mind to play a little with him before it happened that this Dog flattering the Lion as knowing his Strength began to scratch him gently with his Teeth upon a Scab which the Lion had upon his Throat at which the Lion took such pleasure that he not only suffered the Dog patiently so to do but also defended him from the others So that when I saw him he had been then seven years with these Lions as the Christian Slave told me who look'd after them and told me also that when they gave the Lions any thing to Eat the Dog fed with them and would sometimes snatch the Meat from their very Chops And when the Lions would fight together for their Food the Dog did all he could to part them and when he saw he could not do it by a Natural Instinct he began to howl after such a manner that the Lions who fear the cry of Dogs presently would part themselves and agree together This example of Animals shews that we ought to be humble and obedient towards those who are greater than our selves and how noble and generous the Lion is amongst other Beasts At my going from these Lions I went to see the Kings Horses who Horses were in Stalls after their manner and were fat and extraordinary well Dress'd and clean Skin'd They are Christian Slaves who look after them and have a great and lesser Stable also well ordered that it is impossible for any to be better They are all Barb-Horses the finest in the World After having walked enough about the City for this time I returned back to the Douane which is the place where the Christians are oblig'd to retire themselves a good League from the Alcasave or Palace Royal which is near the Juderie I was there told a very pleasant History of a Son of the King of Morocco History of a King of Morocco who having upon a time sent one of his Sons with an Army to conquer the Kingdom of Gago
to be sliced with a Razor then rub it with Salt and Vinegar for fear it should Fester They have another sort of punishment which they call Pingar Viue which Cruelty of the Portugals is to drop Lard put into a red hot Pelle upon the Body of the poor Patient stark naked and lying upon his Belly The Parents of these miserable Wretches are sorry they brought them into the World to feel such Torments which pierces them to the very Entrails I have sometimes seen part of these Barbarous Cruelties which afflicted me so much that I have still a horrour when I think thereof There was one day a poor Indian Girl who came running to my Lodging crying out for help and praying me to be a means to obtain Mercy but I could not save her to my great Sorrow For she was taken and laid all along on the Ground and Bastinadoed without pity There was a Metice Woman who had by these horrible Chastisements killed 5 or 6 Slaves which she caused to be Buried in her Garden And one day as she ordered another to be thus punished he who gave her the Blows going to leave off the miserable Creature in the mean time Died and when 〈…〉 i.e. â—ive it her â—ive it her 〈◊〉 an old â—â—x he told his Mistriss that she was Dead no no she answered she counterfeits Daly Dalyes Rapose Veille that is to say Lay on lay on 't is an old Fox Another had a Slave who was not vigilant enough and ready to rise when she called her her Mistress caused an â—â—heard of 〈…〉 Horse-Shooe to be nailed upon her Back insomuch that the poor Creature died some time after the place thus abus'd being invaded by a Gangreen Another for not being nimble enough had her Eye-Lids sowed to her Eye-brows which had like to have cost her her life her Face being swell'd so One day I heard another young Indian or Chinese Woman who was Chastised after the same manner the blows sounding very loud but she did nothing but groan so low that one could scarce hear her very cry saying Ja Ja Me Signoe I then demanded of Ja ja mi Senior my Host's Brother what it was who told me 't was a Slave a Chastising and that she would have three times as much if she complained and that this was nothing to what others endured and that there was another of them who was hanged in a Chamber by the Hands for 2 or 3 days together and that for a very small matter as for letting fall some Milk as he thought Portugals without Compassion for they would have made him believe he drank it And having asked him if they ever let him down to give him any thing to Eat he told me no but some times as a great favour would let him a little lower just to give him a little Rice sopt in Water and presently hoise him up again But that this would not be all for after that he would be well Bang'd and that they only tarried for his absence that they might begin again this cruel Chastisement He told me also how his Brother who was Master of the Lodging having one day bought a Japan Slave a beautiful Girl and how in Dineing with his Wife he happened to say in Jesting that this Slave had exceeding White Teeth fallâ— it So that I was forced to let them alone For 't is not the custom there to 〈…〉 succour such except one has a mind to â—ight and be killed by them afterwards so mischievous and perverse is this Nation Insomuch that a Portugal-Gentleman being in bed with his Wife in the Night Dreamed that she commited Adultery with one of his Friends after he was awaked he was so Transported with Rage and Jealousy that he killed her at that instant with his 〈…〉 Portugal Poynard as she slept and then fled away to the main Land of Goa and from thence to the Court of Dialcan in whose service he put himself in the City of Isapor For this King seeing him a Cavallier of good fashion received him into his service giving him means to entertain himself and to be Lodged near his own person and also hoping to make him deny the Law of Jesus Christ and embrace that of Mahomet he gave him one of his Sisters in Marriage but for all that the Portugal would never Apostatize whatsoever Dialcan or his Sister could do which this Prince seeing was resolved to put him to Death But she having notice of it advertised her Husband thereof advising him to save himself with all possible speed and he asking her if she would follow him she made Answer that she willingly would with all her heart so that one Night having provided a great Number of precious stones and other Riches with two good horses they set out upon the high way and made such haste that they soon arrived at Pichelin and from thence passed to Goa where this Cavalter so ordered the business by Friends and Money that he had his Pardon for the Murder he committed upon his first Wife excusing himself to the Justice that she had dishonoured her self In the mean time Dialcan seeing the next Morning that neither this Portugal nor his Sister came to â—isit him as they were wont to do soon doubted of the business and having understood that they were fled sent a great Number of Horsemen after to catch them but all in vain for they were already out of his reach This mightily vexed Dialcan an Enemy to thâ— Portu the Prince and caused him to be a greater Enemy to the Portugals than ever he formerly was For they have no greater Adversary than he who hath several times befieged them at Goa but at present they have made truce together and I saw an Ambassador from him at Goa when Andre-Furtado commanded there who Marched about the City in great Pomp and Magnificence after the Moorish Indian manner I saw also other Ambassadors from 〈…〉 Goâ— Pegu and Calicut and it was a very fine sight to see them March in order with their Guards about the streets who carried Bows and Arrows in their Palanquns going with this Ceremony to find out the Vice-Roy in behalf of the Kings their Masters to confirm the Peace in their Ports and Coasts as far as their power permitted 'em to do But Andre-Furtado being Exasperated against the King of Pegu would not so much as read his Letters but tore them telling the Ambassadour that he would come and visit him within a few days and that he remembered how he had given Port and entertainment to the Hollanders their Enemies 〈◊〉 of Andre-Furtado against what had been concluded upon by the Peace and accord made betwixt them And that he had also an intention to visit the King of Achin in Sumatra for he had also received the Hollanders into his Ports to Traffick tho he at the same time knew that they were their Sworn Enemies
Thus was the Ship lost and all the Merchandise that was in her and afterward we arrived at Rochelle the 3d of Sept. from thence I came to Paris the 23 of the same Month when our young King Lewis XIII whom God preserve and prosper was gone to be Crowned at Rheims I had heard no News of the unhappy accident happened in the Person of King Henry the Great my good Master untill we were in sight of Lisbon for then according to the custom there came a Caravel from the Port to see and know who we were who told us that sad History which I could scarcely believe but coming to Land it was too much confirmed to my Eternal regret and sorrow THE TRAVELS AND VOYAGES OF John Mocquet INTO Syria and the Holy Land BOOK V. HAving return'd to Paris from so many long and troublesome Voyages after the Death of King Henry the Great whom I can never sufficiently lament and all other good French Men I had a desire to make a Religious Voyage into the Holy Land there to go pay like a good Christian so many Vows I had made to God for the innumerable Perils and Dangers from which it hath pleased him mercifully to preserve me so often In this Resolution I parted from Paris the 19th of July 1611. and took Coach to Marseilles where I arrived Embarkment at Marseilles the 14th Day of August and tarried there for some Days to wait for passage which at last I found in a Ship of Toulon called the St. Francis belonging to Ode Bergue and Vander Strate Merchants of Toulon and Marseilles There embarking the 8th of September we set sail and the 12th saw the Isle of Sardania which Sardania we left on the North-East and the 15th we saw the Coast of Barbary passing near the Isle of Guerite which Guerite Isle is a little Island not far from the main Land where the Robbers and Pyrates lurk as well Turks as Christians we had this Isle towards the South-West The 17th we passed along by Malta Malta then by Sicilia where we found a Sicilia Ship in the fashion of a Galiot who came directly towards us to know if they durst engage us but when they had perceived our Strength they tacked about taking their course towards Barbary seeking other Prey more easie to surprize The 21st we passed along by Candia Candia where there is a little Island called Agose Isle Agose which advances into the Sea with a Point towards the South Then the 27th we went to the Isle of Cyprus towards the City of Bafe Cyprus not far from the Coast and went to pass the Cape de Gate designing to go to Famagusta But having a sharp Gale and good for our Voyage we continued our course bearing towards Tripoly in Syria where we arriv'd Arrival at Tripoly the last Day of September the next Morning the 1sâ— of October I went on shore to lodge in the City in a Campo near the Juderie or Jews-Place Campo These Campo's are great Houses with large Courts and Fountains where Strangers retire themselves for shelter like Inns. These belong to some great Person who letts them out and he who is the Porter thereof whom they call Boabe receives the Money of the Passengers and gives it to the Master of whom he holds it upon Rent Having tarried some time at Tripoly Voyage to Mount Lebanon I had a mind to see Mount Lebanon and for this effect took a Turk with an Ass to carry our Victuals We left the City the 11th of November and went over very high Mountains and troublesome to pass and in the end arrived at the Lodging of a Chaldean Archbishop called Father George who received us after the best manner he could His House is right above Mount Lebanon his Church is under his Habitation and a Water-mill underneath his Church I saw a good Father a Chaldean Priest and Kinsman to this Archbishop who came from grinding his Corn as he shewed us by his Visage all white with Meal and seeing him in this case we knew him not to be of the Church until the next Morning which was Sunday when I saw him go with the Host in his Hand from thence to a Village there to sing Mass The Father George lived there with his Mother Sisters and Nieces making one and the same Family altogether He shewed me a Chapel above his House upon a little Rock right under Mount Lebanon and told methere was there a Hole out of which every Year upon the 1st Day of May only gushes an abundance of Water at such time as they sing Mass in the Chapel The Mountain is covered all over with Cyprus-Trees The Place is very agreeable but the Winter is there very troublesome because of the excessive Cold and great Snows which mightily afflicts these good Fathers so that they are constrained for that cause to pass the Winter near Tripoly and return there again in the Spring The next Morning after we had heard Mass we set forward towards the Place where the Cedars are about Cedars Three Leagues from thence where being come we had such a cold blast of Wind that my Turk blew his Fingers I order'd him to get upon a Cedar-Tree to break me off some Branches but he tarried there not long for the Cold soon made him to descend that he could not get me so much as I desir'd But I feared he would tumble down being half frozen and besides he had not eaten his Breakfast because of their Romadan Romadan or Fast in the which they fast till Evening not daring to eat any thing upon pain of Death except it be in private and those who observe not strictly their Law and when I saw him tremble in good earnest I presently made him come down fearing to lose him From thence we reassumed our way to return to Canibi which is a Place Canibi belonging to the Chaldean Patriarch and had very bad Weather of Rain so that we arrived there late in the Evening after having passed many little Habitations situate for the most part upon the side of inaccessible Rocks and are almost all Chaldean and Greek Christians with some few Moors amongst them We were there very well received and drank excellent Wine which grows in these Mountains The next Day having heard Mass we returned to Tripoli where I passed a very troublesome Winter because Inundations of the great Inundations of Water which came from the Mountains and so swelled a little River which runs through the middle of the City that it bore down part of the Houses with great loss of Merchandise and Water-mills which it carried quite away with the Stone-bridge This was the cause that Bread was there very scarce and dear that we had much adoe to get a little black Biscuit half spoiled which was sold me by weight and at what rate they pleased and that by halves and the People already
of November to the 8th of January until his Shop was finished From thence I went to walk in the Fields to take the fresh Air because of the great Filth of this City of Seville which causes there a very bad Air which is pursued by a great Number of Diseases As I was traversing on Foot some Mountains to observe the Nature of Trees I met with an honest Cavalier named Pedro Sancha as I knew since who courteously invited me to come and lodge at his House in a little City called Corea or Coria not far from thence which I could not well refuse He entertained me very kindly and I stayed there till the next Day then I reassumed my way to the Mountains where I was for some Days taking notice of the Plants and found store of Rosemary and a great quantity of Mastick-Trees with which the Country is mighty abounding amongst others I gathered some Thistles called Chameleonis-Ally some Flowers of Narcissus and some Mandrake-Apples which they call Sâ—bollas de Villana After that when I saw that I had but bad Entertainment in these Desarts where most commonly I found nothing but Water and some Raisins to eat and sometimes a little Bread in the Shepherd's Cabins I returned towards Corea and visited my honest Host the Sieur Pedro Sanche who was very glad to see me and made very much of me He afterwards came to see me at Seville to have the Interpretation of some Receipts which had been given him for his Wife who was with Child From thence I returned to Seville where the Sieur Juan Sanche the Apothecary would have perswaded me to tarry with him but I had my Voyage of the Indies so in my Head that I had no mind to tarry there but took my way streight to St. Luear and sailed along the River with a great many other Persons for Company in a Boat We arrived in the Night-time at St. Lucar and I went to lodge with my former Host who was called Bastanuil Biscain I continued there for some Days to wait for an Occasion to embark But my bad Fortune would have it so that the Vessels which were then in the Port durst not venture out because they had Advice that from Argier and other Places of Barbary were put out to Sea near Fifty Vessels who guarded the Coasts and were separated 10 15 and 20 Ships towards each Height and Cape where they thought they were to pass so that they took all they could meet with Seeing my self thus retained and without much Commodities to live by having already spent the most part of what I had I was constrained in expectation of better Conveniency to place my self with an Apothecary of St. Lucar who made me promise to serve him for some time But as Fortune never left Persecuting of me so this poor Man returning one Night from Supper in the City was arrested Prisoner by the Command of the Duke of Medina Sidonia and after that the Justice came to his House and seized upon all his Papers where the Algâ—aziles or Sergeants made a strange Ravage They accused him for having made some Libel against the Duke I spent this Night with no small Trouble and Uneasiness The next Day I went again into the Fields to go towards the Port St. Mary where I made so much hast after having passed many Places by Water and bad way that I arrived there at Night in Company of a Religious Jacobin who shewed me a great deal of Courtesie and caused me to lodge with him in the House of a Muleteer The Day following I took the way of Xerez de la Frontera and had no small Trouble before I could come there for the great Abundance of Waters which I found by the way At last having escaped them as well as I could and being very weak in regard of the great Hunger I endured by good Fortune I met with two Men in sight of Xerez who courteously invited me to eat with them and being sate down to eat they fell to discoursing of several Things and amongst others came upon my Subject speaking of Hunger and that it is the most easie to be supported when one stirs not from a Place without doing any thing or when one is at Work and thinks of doing some other thing At last one of them concluded that he was sensible of more Hunger when he was doing nothing than when he was at work and found that there was some reason for it in regard that Action diverts the Thoughts And I remembred that I heard reported how that the several sorts of Plays as Cards Dice Tables and others were at first invented to amuse Men during a great Scarcity of Victuals and by this means to divert them from thinking upon their Hunger And therefore 't is said That Drake that samous English Captain returning home from his great Voyage about the World which he had encompassed one Day as he found himself in great necessity of Victuals and saw his Men ready to starve with Hunger he caused them to play to divert themselves and when they were thirsty he advised them to sleep to refresh themselves This Scarcity was so great as I have heard some English say That they were forced to eat some Blacks which they had brought along with them and having found near England a Vessel loaded with Victuals they eat so much thereof that the most part of them died by over charging themselves But to return to Xerez Being arrived Xerez there tho' not without abundance of trouble passing through the City I by chance found my self near the Shop of an Apothecary where there was some Surgions discoursing together When they saw me they cast out some Words of Mocking because of my Garb à la Francois But I returning towards them told them a few Words of Chirurgery in Latin which they being ignorant of they knew not what to answer except by naming to me to surprize me a certain Composition called Hieralogodâ—i but I asked them if they knew not whether it was Hierapachii which is one and the same thing at which they were put to a Nonplus And thus I left them there and kept on my way and by good Fortune met in this City with a French Man a Britan who lived with a Cavalier and took me along with him where he made as much of me as he could There I found a Persian Slave who hearing me speak of his Country and the East-Indies was so overjoy'd that he called me his Kinsman and made me as good Chear as he could in this House where he had much Credit This City of Zerez is situated on high in a very pleasant Country as all the rest of the Province of Andalousia and is not far from the little River Ovadalâ—t famous for the great Battel fought there where Roderick the last King of Spain lost his Life with all his Nobility at which time the Moors render'd themselves Masters of all Spain The Soil is
Magazines for that purpose I saw the Gentlemen and Cavalliers coming to look every one for his weight of Biscuit and measure of Corn which is ordinarily allowed them by the King of Spain One of these Cavalliers received and lodged me in his House for there is no Inn nor resting place for Strangers I ordered the Business so that our Captain and Master were lodged there also causing Beds to be prepared for them to lie in As for me I received a thousand Courtesies from this Cavallier whom I cured of an Humour he had in his Eyes which he finding remov'd knew not how to treat me For in this place was neither Physician nor Apothecary but only one Surgeon who was very well skâ—ll'd in the Latin Tongue but wanted the knowledge of Medicines and Experience The Corâ—igidor or Judge of this place invited me one day to Dine with this Surgeon who discoursed very readily in Latin yet for all that he could not give Ease to a Patient that he had The most part of the People of the City came to ask for me at my Lodging to give them Physick and made me great Offers But I had not leisure to give Satisfaction to all forasmuch as we were to return in a short time as we did not long after As for the rest this City of Mazagan Mazagan described is very strong and the Walls so thick that six Cavalliers may walk abreast round about 'em The Houses there are very low and over-topped by the Walls There is a great many Cannon very large and long and line almost all the Wall but ill mounted There may be about forty Cannoniers with some 600 Soldiers viz. 200 Horse and 400 Foot the most part Married They make Incursions upon the Arabians whom they take Prisoners and drive away their Cattle They have hard by them a City called Azamor which makes hot War upon 〈…〉 them and not above two Leagues one from the other Every morning there goes out 40 Horse to discover what they can see and tarry out till noon In the afternoon 40 others go out who stay till night And there are about six of these Cavalliers whom they call Atalayes that is to say the Watch Atalayes who are far distant one from the other and keep Centinel every where and when they discover any thing they Post back and then the City Watch who sees them strikes 2 or 3 blows upon a Bell with that the others presently mount their Horses and run to the place of the signal For in every place where these Atalayes are there is a long Pole like a Mast and when they perceive any thing they with a little Cord heave their sign on high which is the signal to all those who Salley out of Mazagan When they have a mind to make an Incursion every one arms himself each of 'em carrying Forage for their Horses whom they give Corn to out of the Allowance and Pension which is sent them from Porâ—â—gâ—â— They Eat there abundance of Caricols Caricalâ— which are little Snails in Shells who â—â—â—d upon the Plants and there the Plants are of an exceeding force and virtue The Bees there make White Honey of Africa Honey and of an excellent Taste Their Hives are upon the Houses which after the African manner are covered with Sotees like to Cieling after the Moresque and one may easily go from one House to another This City of Mazagan is nothing Country of Mazagan else but a Fortress being about half a League in compass and is inhabited by none but Men of War who have every one their piece of Land round about the City where they Sow Corn as Barley Pease Beans and other Gâ—ains but very often the Moors Villanies of the Moors come and cut it up in the night time and spoil it The rest of the Country is Uncultivated The Moors do them a thousand Injuries even to Poisoning a Well which they have out of the City in a Garden by casting in Carrion with other filth and nastiness Within the City there is a full Cistern and upon the Ciloe's Festival-Day the watch is set It is very high and large and is capable of holding above 20000 Pipes of Water I was near being left to tarry in this City For the day before we were to set sail our Captain and the Master came ashore for me for I never budged from the City minding nothing else but the Cure of these People Now as I was gone to walk along by the Sea-side to gather some Sea Crist which is there in abundance being returned to the City to take my rest I was sent for in great haste to go see a Patient upon which our Captain went away and left me there all alone Knowing this I went presently towards the Sea-shore but he was already far enough from thence so I was forced to go back again to the City to wait till the next day In the mean time the Ship finding the Wind good set Sail and a Soldier who was a Centinel upon the Wall knowing that I was still in the City came presently to give me notice thereof At which all astonished I run presently to the Wall to see if it was true and being in great perplexity how to get out from thence â— went to the Captain of the Foot Soldiers to desire him to cause the Gaâ—e to be opened which he did and gave the Key to the Porter but I must stay till the Cavalliers were ready to go out This time seemed to me an Age. At last the Gate being opened I desired the Pilot-Moor to get me a Boat ready to carry me on Board our Ship and by good fortune I found some Soldiers who were going a Fishing one of whom had brought us from Portugal They did me that favour as to take me into their Boat Had we wanted that little Wind which was weak enough I had been forced to have tarried there for which I should not have been much perplexed had I but had my Cloaths my Medicines and my other Things but I had unhappily been in my Doublet without comfort or any other thing These Soldiers then did their utmost to overtake the Ship which was already got far off besides the Sea began to rise insomuch that these Men would not go any further telling that if the Wind should rise but never so little they should not be able to recover Land by their utmost Efforts but run the risque of their Lives Hereupon they left of Rowing and and held Council amongst themselves what was best to be done and having resolved to return they began again to handle their Oars upon which I being much vexed endeavour'd to urge them by Prayers and Promises that I would certainly Content them to return again towards the Ship and by strength of Oars we made our way so that we arrived there This was no small fortune for me considering in what trouble they live in there Besides
from whence comes the finest Gold This young Prince having passed all the Desarts of Lybia with great Trouble and Fatigue which both he and his Army there endured as he approached the Country of Gago this King informed of his coming went to meet him with a great Army of Blacks and invested and encompassed him about so that he could get neither backward nor forward and besides he was oppressed with two great Extremities Hunger and Thirst insomuch that the most part of his Men were Sick and knew not what to do in such an extremity For to continue there they must all Die with Hunger or yield themselves Victims to their Enemies Malice and to return or to pass on they must give Battel and his Men were so weak as well by the fatigue of the way by the Desart as for want of Victuals Now as this Prince of Morocco was in this perplexity in his Tent it happened that two of his Soldiers were playing at Chess in their Tent and one of them found himself so much engaged that he could not make his King go either backward or forward he being under Check upon which his Companion Laughing said he was like their Prince who could neither advance nor retire without exposing himself to great danger As he was saying these Words it happened that one of the Prince's Favourites passing by chance near this Tent overheard them and went presently away to give his Master an account of this Discourse who hearing it sent at that instant to fetch these two Soldiers before him who were mightily astonished and having enquired several things of them and particularly of that which they had done and said At last seeing themselves urged they confessed the truth and prostrating themselves upon the Ground they begged his Pardon which the Prince did easily consent to and demanded of him who had said thus what he would advise him to do in such an extremity The Soldier wisely answered that if he would take his Advice he should not only save himself and his Men but should also come of with great Honour if the thing which he had contrived in his Mind took effect The Prince Commanded him to say boldly what he would upon which the Soldier proceeded and said that the King of Gago had a Beautiful Daughter to Marry and that he who was a young Prince and wanted a Wife should send Ambassadors to this King to let him understand that he was not come into his Country with intention to make War upon him but only to demand his Daughter in Marriage of whom he had heard many Perfections and excellent Qualities reported The Prince found this Counsel so good and so much to the purpose that he presently dispatches Ambassadors to this King upon this account who were very well received according to their Ambassage and the Peace made accordingly The Marriage was agreed upon by this means and Consummated with great Triumphing A-la-Moresque The Prince receiv'd from his Father-in Law the King of Gago several curious and rich Presents amongst others three Balls of Gold hollow within weighing in all 750 pounds and are all three of a wonderful bigness but proportionably one a little less than the other and are to be seen to this day in the Alcasave or Palace at Morocco upon the top of a high Tower being all three fastened upon a Bar the greatest at the bottom and so mounting the least at top When the Sun shines they cast a Reflex at a great distance as I observed in my coming to Morocco In the Wars they have fired several shots of Musquet at them but without any prejudice Thus the Counsel of this Soldier took happy effect and since that time the Kingdom of Gago of which this Daughter was Heiress fell to the Kings of Morocco who send there to fetch their Gold After having returned from my Voyage one day as I was at Dinner with the late King Henry the Great who had taken Physick that day and was in his morning Gown in his Closet I was desiring his Majesty to grant me liberty to go to the East-Indies he thereupon came to speak of the play at Chess and how that two of the Grandees of his Court had been two days and two nights at playing a Game at Chess upon which the King discovering the cunning and subtility of this play I took the boldness to relate to him this History of the Prince of Morocco at which he was mightily pleased and thought the Soldier 's invention very much to be â—pplauded In short all these Moors are great players at Chess as I have observed Game of Chess amongst the Moors amongst them For at such time as I went to the Juderie I found almost all those who kept the Door a playing at this Game at which they are very subtile and it is mighty diverting to them in regard of their Melancholly Humour which renders them very ingenious and great lovers of sharp and subtile Tricks as there was one day one of them who made shew of Friendship to another and gave him great store of Fruit upon a Carpet to Eat But the other who was thus Honoured told him gently give me not so much Meat but thy Heart rather which was to say Good-Will and Affection for he well knew that he wished him no good in his Mind This Story is said to be of the Alcayde Mummin After having continued for some time at Morocco seeing that the Caravan The Authors return was preparing to go away for Saffy I endeavoured to obtain my Letter of Free passage of the Haquin who is the great Justice there to the Haquin end that I might safely Embark without any Let or Hindrance by those of Saffy I payed then for my Entrance ond going out to the Talbes of the Talbes Douane who keep the Door which is a right that every Christian who comes to Morocco is obliged to pay And truly 't is impossible ever to have done enough to satisfie these sort of People I parted then from Morocco the 22th of October and went to pitch the Almahalle some 4 or 5 Leagues distant in a Campagne along by Mount â—tlas and being there there were 3 or 4 Companies of us who went into the Adouars or Tents of the Arabians to furnish our selves with Fowls Eggs and other Victuals But when we came there we perceived a great number of Cavalliers of the same â—ation running after one another who drove away their Camels and other Beasts The Wives of these Arabians took the Saddles of their Husbands Horses upon their Heads and run to the place where their Horses were feeding The Husbands who were hard by at work presently mounted on Horseback and flew like lightning after their Enemies with their Launces and other Instruments and I believe that at last they recovered their own These Women advised us to return with all speed to our Camp for fear that these Arabs their Enemies should carry us away Captives
of the Fights of the Moors and Africans of Morocco and other Arabians of the Countrys of Barbary The 2d The Customs of the Arabians when they remove their Habitations and carry with them their Adouars or Tents and take their Families to Sow and Cultivate the Land in any other part of the Country THE TRAVELS AND VOYAGES OF John Mocquet INTO Ethiopia Mozambique Goa And other Places of AFRICA and the East-Indies BOOK IV. LIke as our desires are never satisfied in this life but continually coveting after new Things until we are entered into a perfect enjoyment of those which we desire most so being returned from my last Voyage of Africa the desire of my former design was renewed in me to go to the East-Indies from which I had been diverted by the occasion that I have given account of in the beginning of my third Book so that having taken a Resolution at this time I took my leave of the King and Queen in the year 1607. and parted from Paris the 16th of October with a design to pass into Britagne and from thence into Portugal I Embarked thence the 16th of Nov. Embarking for Portugal in a Ship of Poligain belonging to one named Yves Bigram and we were about 18 or 20 men in all This was in a morning and in a very great Storm We went on Board with no small trouble the Waves covering us very frequently As soon as we were there we set sail the Wind being for us This Ship was bound for Sevill but as fortune would have it being towards the Cape of Pichay we met with so furious a Tempest the Wind being quite contrary to us to gain the Cape of Sâ— Vincent that we were forced to slacken in the River of Lisbon where I was desirous to go For it was the time the Fleet was preparing to go away And arriving at Sevill I had the trouble to return back to Lisbon and perhaps for all that I might have lost the occasion of my Voyage We cast Anchor then at Sta. Catarina a little above Belin the 2d of December Belin. I went on Shore and lay at a place call'd Belin where the Visitor of Health hearing I was come without Licence commanded me to Re-Embark under the forfeiture of 50 Ducats He made all this stir only for want of a little Present After having ordered my Business I failed not to go to Lisbon where being come I took a Lodging and waited to Embark and found there the Sieur de-Herve who had been in the Service of the King of Morocco and was very kind to these two Portugal Gentlemen who were come out of Captivity one being Son to the Vice-Roy of the East-Indies Henry de Saldaigne and the other Brother to Don Baptiste Fernand Sezar Provisor-General of the House of the Indies and his Brother-in-Law the Count de Fera went to the Indies for Vice roy I desired my Friend the Sieur de-Herve to speak to these Gentlemen his Friends who had so much Credit that by their means I might pass to the Indies Pedro Sezar Brother to Baptiste Fernand promised him to do all he could so that he spoke to the Count de Fera and the said Herve to oblige them the more said that I was his Brother For those Gentlemen were very respectful to him for having assisted them in the time of their Captivity with Money They then desired me to speak to the Count de la Fera by the means of Baptiste Fernand and told him that I was a very curious Count de la Fera. Man and he hearing that I had knowledge of Plants was mighty glad and told me that there was great quantity of good and rare Plants in the Indies which he had proved at such time that he was Captain at Arms After Proveditor de la Case d'Inde that he asked me my Name and having writ it in a Paper he sent it by one of his Servants to the Proveditor of the House of India who having read it sent it to him again saying That a Stranger might not pass to the Indies without Licence from the King of Spain The Count de la Fera seeing this caused a Letter to be writ at that instant in my presence by Baptiste Fernand his Brother-in-Law and sent it by the same Servant to Don Christoval Vice-roy of Portugal who commanded the Frenchman to be set down that is to say received I was very glad of this Answer and I with a Servant went to the House of India to carry this Licence to the Proveditor Nephew to the Vice-roy who kept it and told him that brought it that he could not set me down for this Permission but that he would speak of it to the Count de la Fera. I was very sorry at this and almost out of all hopes of going the Voyage Hereupon I retired to my Lodging to consider of what I had to do that I might not loose this opportunity The next day going to find out the Servant of the Count de la Fera I desired him to go with me as from the Vice-roy his Master which he willingly did but I could not obtain any thing at that time but I lost not Courage for all that and the day following I went again to the Servant and desired him to go with me but once more and so we went together to the House of India before this Proveditor the Servant bringing him Word from the Count de la Fera his Master The Proveditor seeing himself so much importuned from him whom he durst not displease in regard he was one of the Grandees of Portugal and Vice-roy of the Indies He demanded of me my Name and that of my Father and of my Mother and the place of my Birth then he The Author received for the Voyage ordered me to be set down in the Book for a Natural French man Thus at last I was received of which I was exceeding glad and gave the Servant many Thanks promising to assist him all I could as I did afterwards he being sick Two or 3 days after I went to receive my Pay which was 7500 Rais there must be a thousand of them to make 25 Rials and prepared my self to Embark in the Admiral in which the Vice-roy was to sail When the time of Embarkment came there was a great Confusion amongst us were being about 900. The Register called every one by their Name to know if all were Embarked My Host answered for me and that he might not have any trouble upon my account I was present at the Lecture of all the Equipage For it is a Register on shore which makes all this Inquest These Ceremonies being over we set sail first five great Ships or â—arracks which were the Admiral called Our Lady of Mount-Carmel the Olive the Salvation Our Lady of the Indies and the Palm then 5 Gallies St. Jerom the Good Jesus the Holy Ghost St. Bartholomew and St. Anthony then after
these Gentiles are content when they find occasion to do good to poor Travellers they being all very pious People who endure all sorts of Ignominy and Injuries such Lovers are they of Peace and Tranquillity This Goodness and natural Humanity of these poor Idolaters abused in so many other things is an excellent Lesson for Christians instructed in the True Religion which they make so little account of since the Natural Light of these blind Infidels shames the Super-natural Gifts of those who profess Christianity After I had gathered together and bought all the Drugs and other Things which might be of any use to me I began to think of my return with my Truchman and Mariners and going along the Coast which was very green pleasant and abounding in all sorts of Plants When I saw any Herb which pleased me I commanded them to fetch it The Portugals put a thousand Affronts upon these poor People and sometimes they make shew as if they would kill some Bird or other Animal Indians kill not Animals which these Gentiles have pity on and presently buy them to set them at liberty Yet since they have found out that the Portugals do this on purpose to have their Money knowing their bad Intention they buy not these Animals as they were wont to do When a Portugal has a mind to have Rude Comportment of the Portugals towards the Indies some new Cloths he makes no more ado but goes to the Shop of an Indian with a Tailor and there chooses his Stuff then orders it to be cut out in his presence and when it comes to be paid he bids the poor Gentile follow him to his Lodging to take his Money where being come he pretends that his Companion who has the Key of his Chest is not there and so the other whatever he can say or do can have nothing of him but this excuse And 2 or 3 days after the Portugal tells him he owes him nothing They use the same Tricks to all other Merchants and Tradesmen They have done as much to me when I have paid any thing for them for some time after they made as if they knew me not Yet it ought not to be thought strange if they do thus in the Indies since they play the same Pranks in Lisbon it self where one of my Hosts told me that one day having Dressed up a Hat for a Castilian and asking him for his Mony shewed him a Pistol cockt telling him if he had a mind to be paid he must follow him into Flanders where he was going and this was all he could get As soon as they arrive at the Indies Nature and Quality of the Portugals in the Indians they make themselves Gallants calling themselves Fidalgues or Gentlemen tho they be but Peasants and Tradesmen They themselves relate That a certain one among them named Fernando who had kept Hogs in Portugal coming to the Indies and adding 3 Letters to his Name caused himself to be called Don Fernando and was in a little time so well known and esteemed amongst the Women Metices that one having chosen him for her Servant she caused him to Ride about with a Chain of Gold about his Neck and a great many Slaves after him But one day it happened that his Master's Son whom he had served in his own Country for a Swine-heard Portugal Pride having met him in this Rich Equipage riding about the Streets of Goa saluted him saying in his own Language Deos Guarde de Fernando Como Esta which is to say God save ye Fernando how goes it But the other making shew as if he knew him not ask'd who he was to which the other made answer Was not he the same who formerly kept Hogs for my Father This Gallant hearing this drawing him aside told him he was and was here called Don and was looked upon as a great Gentleman praying him to hold his peace and gave him Money yet this hindered not his being known by several who made their own profit thereof But since I am fallen upon this Discourse I will add that when these Portugal Soldiers first arrive at the Indies wearing their Country Cloths those who have been there a long time before when they see them walk about the Streets call them Reipol laden with Lice with a thousand other Jeers and Affronts When I was there these Newcomers durst not stir out of their Lodgings until they were dress'd like the other Indians And then they know them no longer using Majestick Gravity and observing the Sossiego after the Spanish manner always having their Boy who carries their Parasol or Cloak without which they dare not come out of their Lodging except they have a mind to be esteem'd Picaro's or poor miserable Wretches as in truth they are to those who know them As long as they are there instead of vile and base as they be they esteem themselves all Fidalques and Noblemen changing their more obscure Names to more Illustrious I knew one who Enrolled himself for the War and he changed his Name 3 or 4 times as 't was found out by the Secretaries and Registers of Goa When they hear of any one that knows them they are so wicked as to send to ask whether he knew such a one or not and who he was of what Cast or Race and if noble and honourable so that if the other answers that he is some Picaron or miserable Fellow this Friend reports it to the other and then for meer Spite complots with his Associates against him who has told this Truth and meeting him in the City at their advantage give him so many Blows that they kill him or leave him for Dead This is the cause that one must take care how he tells the Truth of such who are enquired after But on the contrary if they tell all the glorious Things in the world of him of his Nobility Valour Power and other Qualities tho' never so false Then he of whom all this is meant coming to meet the other immediately salutes him Embraces his Thigh and prays him always to say the same of him and that he is wholly at his Service ready to reward him with his Life and Fortune When they have a mind to d'Accouchillar or Slash any one with their Revenge of the Portugals Swords they send Notes to their Friends to desire their assistance against one who has offended them If he to whom this Note is sent does not come and excuses himself because such an one is his Friend they cry him about for a faint-hearted Coward and 't is he on whom they will wrack their Revenge if he has not a care of himself These are the Actions at this day One day standing at my Lodging Door in the Street of the Crucifix I saw two Companies of Soldiers the one coming from the Misericordia and the other seeming from the Cordeliers and drawing nigh one to the other laid hands upon their Swords
with great fury but the Rascals did one another no harm being the numbers were equal But when 10 or 12 meets with one or two then you shall see them do wonderful Exploits There was one amongst the rest who to shew himself a Champion challeng'd another to fight him hand to hand who appear'd but plainly with his ordinary Armâ— But the other wicked and false wretch carrying with him a Harquebuss presented it to give Fire at which the first cryed out that he should kill him like a man of Valour and not like a Coward yet he would not hearken to this but told him that if he had a mind to have his Life given him there was one thing he must do and the other demanded what it was this Wretch who had his piece cockt told him that he must deny Jesus Horrible Trick Cbrist which the other having basely done he firing said to him get thee the right way to Hell and so parted 'T is impossible to tell the Wickedness Insolencies and Irreverences they Irreverence in the Churches commit in the Churches during Divine Service which I have often seen whilst they were saying Mass at Goa hearing them speak out aloud and crying so to one another that none could hear any thing of the Service making all that noise in the Indian Language and bawling as if they were in a Fair or in the Fields and some will send their Slaves to fetch their Escritorio to take some Letters out Escritorio to shew Then when they see the Holy Sacrament raising they give themselves 3 or 5 blows upon the Breast and presently fall again to Bawling Laughing and Mocking as before There is nothing amongst them but Usury Covetousness Theft and strange Oaths and such that the most subtile might be cozened and deceived I have remarked that they have a sort of Honour amongst them when they meet about the Streets the lesser Manner of Saluting number gives way to the greater and if they are but two they must begin to Salute 3 when they meet 'em and so of the others And indeed I was once so deceiv'd for being in the company of 2 or 3 of them as we met with two others not knowing their fashion I began to Salute them first for they were of my acquaintance but the others check'd me for it saying I knew not the Custom and for the future must take care how I did the like They go in the night with their Robberies at Goa Carpausses which are Dresses for the Head after the manner of a Coat plucking up and down the Vizard when they please and about Supper-time go away to such Houses where they know there is something to take knocking at the Door if 't is shut and enter if they find it open their Faces hid asking for the Master of the House they demand of him to lend them 2 or 300 Cheraphins otherways they will Kill him and so carry away the best Things in the House A Portugal Gentleman related to me how he had been thus Robb'd by that sort of People as he was going to Supper For his Slave having opened the Door upon their telling him they had a word or two to say to his Master entering in by force and leaving one at the Door took at the first bout all the Plate which was upon the Table demanding of him 200 Cheraphins if he had a mind to have them again which he gave them and so they went away If the Justice goes to take them they have great Bags of Cannon-Powder with Matches tied about them threatning to throw them amongst those who offer to approach the Door The Portugals are grown so extream jealous of their Wives that you must Jealousie of the Portugals not so much as look them in the Face and if they see them but speak to any one they presently Strangle or Poison them and when they have Strangled them they call their Neighbours to their Succour saying that a Swooning Fit has taken their Wife upon the Chair But they never come again to themselves Sometimes they send for a Barber to Blood them saying that they are not well When the Barber is gone away they undo the Fillet and let he Blood run out until the poor miserable Creature dies and then also they call in the Neighbours to see as they say what a sad Disaster has happened to their Wife in Sleeping Others there are who take their Wives with them to Bath in some Brook or Pond and there make them Drink their Belly full and a little while after send their Slaves to look for their Mistress whom they find Drown'd which the Husband knowing before seems to be mightily astonished and grieved at Thus in different ways they make away their Wives on the least suspicion and afterwards relate the Story amongst one another There are some who have thus made away 3 or 4 Wives But the Women also when they think their Husbands entertain any other rid themselves of them by Poison or otherways and make much use of the Seeds of Datura which has a strange Virtue Datura Poison This Datura or Dutroa a sort of Stramonium is a great and high Plant bearing white Flowers like the Cisampelos Cisampelos but larger Now he who takes too great a quantity thereof Dies in a little time laughing and weeping like a Fool. Thus the Women who have particular Friends gave of this Herb to their Husbands mixing therewith other Drugs which is such that the poor Husband falls into a Fury and Raving snatches Strange Actions up a Pike or Hallberd to guard the Door without saying a word to such as come either in or out Then the Seniora or Lady sends for her Gallant and passes the time in presence of the Husband until the Operation of the Drug which continues about 24 hours is over He who has taken it not remembring what he has seen or done so mightily are his Thoughts and Mind agitated and troubled with this Herb. As for the Slaves 't is pity to see the Cruel Chastisement to the Slaves cruel Chastisements they give them For they run them through with double Irons then give them with a Cudgel 500 blows at a time and make them lie along the ground on their Belly and then comes two who by turns strike the poor Body as a Log of Wood the Master Portugal or Metice being present counts the Blows with his Rosaire And if by chance they who thus strike are not strong enough to his mind or have an inclination to spare their Companion he causes them to be put in the place of the Patient and to be soundly banged without any Mercy As I was in my Lodging at Goa I heard nothing but Blows all the night long and some weak Voice which Breathed a little for they stop their Mouth with a Linnen Cloth to hinder them from crying out After they have been well beaten they cause their Bodies
began to cry out for Famine The House of the Consul of France fell upon him and killed him Several other Houses fell also by this disaster of Inundation which came in a Night without so much as dreaming of The City of Tripoly is situated in a A Description of Tripoly Valley below Mount Lebanon and has still an old Castle with square Towers built formerly by the French the then Lords of the Holy-Land There is at present a Garrison of Turks The City may be as big as Pontoise and there is but a small River that passes that way which is very subject to break out of its Banks when the Snows of the Mountain melt and then does a thousand Mischiefs as I have seen when I happened to be there All the rest of the time one may pass almost dry upon the Stones The City is very well built the Houses low except those of the Great Ones and there inhabits a great Number of Grecian Christians Jews some French and Italians Those of Marseilles trade mightily there There is also a Bassa or Governour who in the Summer goes with his Nobility to lie in Tents in the Meadows betwixt the Port and the City and there exercise themselves at the Launce and Sword This City is about Nine Days Journey from Aleppo The Spring being come I began to Parting for Jerusalem think of going to Jerusalem and for this purpose parting the 9th of April 1612. with a Mouquary or Turkish Carrier we took our way towards Damascus and the first Night lay in a little Meadow by a River-side where we endured no small cold because of the Winds which come from these Mountains laden with Snow The next Day we raised our little Caravan which consisted of Turks and Jews and a Greek Christian and his Sister This young Grecian Girl was not above Twelve Years of Age and was very vertuous and brisk being mounted upon her little Ass which was led by her Brother We passed many Mountains and arrived at a Habitation of Arabians where we had but very bad Lodging lying along the Walls of the Houses which are in very dirty Places I made my Pillow of a Stone The next Day we went to Dine at Armel a little City of the Arabians Armel and then retired into a House of Pleasure very stately and magnificent but there was none in it it serves only for a retiring Place and Lodging for the Caravans they giving so much to the Porter who is the Keeper thereof This House is furnish'd * After the Moorish manner a la Moresque and strong enough to hold out an Assault A certain Turk who returned from the Bassa of Tripoly caused it to be built after this manner The Bassa commanded him to be taken and brought into his presence telling him That being his Subject he was greater than he in regard of the sumptuous and strong House which he had caused to be built that he might rebel against him and thereupon commanded his Head to be chopp'd off in recompence of several good and notable Services he had done him Parting from this Place we went along by a Rivolet to lodge upon a little Hill within the enclosure of certain Walls very low where there was a small Cottage of the Arabians We lay along the Wall and passed the Night with great fear of the thievish Arabs We parted from thence betimes in the Morning and came to Bailbec a very ancient City where Bailbec formerly lived Christians the Ruines of a Church remaining there yet I went into the City with my Mouquary which was the Turk that furnished me with a Horse to ride upon and there we sought for a little Wine but privately it being forbid to sell any We found some White very good at the House of a Grecian who earnestly desired us to hide it They failed not to come to search our Cloaths and other things but they could not find it for we had locked it fast up We lay without the City along the Walls which are made of great Stones not of Masons Work but roughly set one upon another each one above 12 or 15 Foot long The Bassa of this Place went out about Noon with all his Cavalry and Infantry going to some Place not far from thence upon a Quarrel which he had against the Bassa of Damascus He marched in excellent good order especially for Turks and Arabians to observe We dislodged from this Place two or three Hours before Day passing by Rocks of which the most part were Aquaeducts broke and thrown down and the Veins and Pipes bigger than ones Arm are still to be seen through which flowed the Water before they were broke down There is amongst others one of these Rocks slit in two about 3 or 4 Leagues from Damascus and the River of Jordan which comes Jordan from Mount Lebanus passes with great swiftness very near it there is a Bridge over which we passed Along by this River are places cut like Caves within the Rock where lived formerly certain Hermits and truly the Place is very proper for a solitary Life being exceeding desert and of difficult access We went to lie in a certain Habitation and the next Day we arrived at Damascus which was on Palm-Sunday Damascus Eve the 14th of April I went to take a Lodging in the House of one Ibrahim a Rabbi of the Jews to whom I had been recommended by a Cousin of his which I had known at Tripoly He received us after the best manner he could but we supped but badly because it was the Day of their Sabbath in which they dare scarce touch any thing The next Day I so ordered the Business with this Jew my Host that he gave me one of his Servants to conduct me and help me to buy an Ass They were at that time making Preparations for their Passover and I saw them buy Sheep in a Market for that purpose Passover of the Jews and this Servant chose the fattest for his Master so that I had much adoe to hale him to the place where I knew there was an Ass to be sold which had been brought from Tripoly with us I bargained for it for 19 Pataques Pataques and a half one for the Jew I exchanged my Money taking for Spanish Money Pieces of Albouquelque to give to the Cafars and gained 55 for 50 for the Cafars go for as much Cafars as those of Spain Albouquelques are pieces of German Money having the Albouquelques mark of a Lyon the Turks take it for a Dog and therefore call them Albouquelques or Dog-pieces I desired also my Jew to find me out a Turk which he did and promised him a Patache a Day but he was to find himself with Victuals As for this City of Damascus it is very fine and pleasant having most delicate Gardens and is seated in a Valley as it were in the middle of a Meadow and
Jacob 's House From thence we passed through Deserts where was a great Number of Tents of the Arabs on each side and began to mend our pace for the great Fear we were in without resting or refreshing our selves at all and I was very angry with my Turk who would not give me time to eat a bit of Bread being very weak having set out a little after Midnight and made so much way and besides our evil Fortune was not to find the least drop of Water to drink When we had passed all these Habitations of Arabs we went to pitch along by a Rock where it was exceeding hot and there seeking for Water we found some though very little which was Rain-water kept there a long time We had a mind to taste of it but it was so bitter and stinking that it was impossible to swallow the least drop thereof tho' I formerly had drank that which had been very bad and fancied that the Lizards Serpents and other venomous Creatures which are there in abundance had come to drink and to plunge themselves therein Our Turks though they are exceeding dry and are rustical and rough in their manner of living could not drink the least drop thereof By good Fortune I had still a Pomegranate or two left of which I gave to every one a little bit to refresh their Mouths not daring to eat any thereof before them without giving them some tho' I had very great need of it my self But it behoved me so to do if I had a mind to live quietly my endeavour being to humour them as long as I was with them Thus passed we this troublesome Way as far as the Cistern of Joseph Cistern of Joseph where we drank some of the Water which is very good and fresh and filled also our Teronques therewith This Cistern is a little Place raised up where there is a Building in which live certain Arabs It is covered with a Cupolo sustained with Four Pillars of White Marble but at present there is but Three entire the other being broken Having drank enough we went on our way but these Arabs striving to force us to give them something for this Water my Turk ran to hinder them from taking my Bread which I had brought from Damascus where I was furnished with Provision for several Days but at last it behoved us to give them something And thus escaped we from their Hands passing along Valley of the Five Loaves by the Valley of the Five Loaves where our Lord wrought that famous Miracle From thence we came to the Sea of Tiberias the 18th of April Sea of Tiberias and found the Chec-Marabou who was going to Jerusalem to the Temple of Salomon accompanied with 4 or 5000 Persons of all sorts The Place where we were was then called Lameny there we pitched our Baggage hard by Lameny a Bush and in the mean time I went to bathe in this Sea to ease and refresh my self a little I found the Water thereof very sweet and still and excellent good to drink having a very soft Sand at the bottom The River of Jordan passes with a very swift course just through the middle without mixing it self therewith and from thence runs into the dead Sea near Jerusalem from whence it is plainly to be seen from Mount Olivet for it is in a Valley having the Land of Arabia very high and Desart on the other side as I saw from Mount Olivet This Place of Lameny hath Cafars but I met with none of them I there saw all these Marabouts Santons who dance before the Chec's Tent and it is a fine sight to see them perform their Ceremonies and Follies ranging themselves Strange Dancâ—s all into a Ring as in a Dance then clapping their Hands and crying Nila Nilala then bowing and heaving themselves up with a great force There was a Sanâ—oâ— that led them by Signs of his Hands Gestures and Motions like a Master of Musick and who was in the middle of the Dance following with his Face towards them It would be impossible to represent all the great Follies and silly Tricks which they shew in these Dances for there are some of them who going out of the Dance cast themselves all along upon the Ground then two of these Santon-Marabouts take him one by the Head and the other by the Feet and stretch him out as far as they can after that this Man pretends himself dead and makes as tho' he had great Convulsions and Tremblings shaking himself mightily two or three times then seems as if he gave up the Ghost the Marabouts seeing that he neither stirs nor takes his Breath look upon him as a dead Man he who is at the Head takes his Right Hand and puts it upon his Face then does as much to his Left and after that puts them upon his Belly he who is at the Feet plucks him very hard and the other holding him by the Head raises him upon his Feet whereupon presently this dead Man reviving runs to dancing with the others They employ themselves thus 4 or 5 at a time one after another going to this fine Sport As I was beholding these Fooleries there was a Moâ—â—ish Woman hard by me who seeing all this entred into such a Fransie that she fell to shaking and crying out like the rest so that they had much adoe to quiet her making as if she had been ravished into an Exâ—asie The Evening being come they all fall to their Sala or Prayers and light a great Number of Lamps before the Tent of the Chec-Marabou who is the Captain of the other Santons and Marabous placing before his Tent all the Standards where there is writ in Arabick Letters something of the Law of Mahomet Afterwards in the Morning when the Caravan comes to decamp all these Santons take every one one of these Ensigns and go singing before the Chec who is encompass'd about with these Standards then he mounts upon a fine Horse with some other Cavaliers that accompany him and march thus in great Ceremony before the Caravan As we thus parted from Lameny my Turk took me out of the way of the Chec telling me That in the way where the Chec was to pass there was abundance of Water which my Ass could not pass over He thus deceived me on purpose to make me pay the Cafars with whom I believe he participated We went over Mountains very high and almost inaccessible with no small trouble and there was also some Turkish Men and Women with us who had taken this way as the best At Night we arrived at Eonjar Eonjar which is a place some two Musquet-shot from Mount Tabor We thought Mount Tabor the Chec would have come there also but he came not that Day which those of the Campo seeing they caused us to enter into the Court for fear of the Arabs and there I accommodated my self in the middle with my Ass close by me
Race of Infidels After having tarried some time at Tripoly I parted from thence the 18th of May and embarked to return to France We passed along by the Isle of Cyprus the 21 st and the 25th we saw the Coast of Turkey then the Mounts of Phenico and Sately and not The Mounts of Phenico and Sately Rhodes Candia far from the Isle of Rhodes which we left towards the North-West After that we passed by the Isle of Candiae where we espied Two Turkish Caramousins driving full sail upon us but when they saw themselves too weak for our Vessel they tacked about again We chased them with our Shot but Night coming on they escaped us they being in great Fear and using their utmost endeavour with Sails and Oars to get themselves out of our reach From thence we passed along by the Isle of Malta and the 12th Malta of June faw the Isle of Sardania which Sardania we left to the North-East and in the end by the Grace of God arrived at Arrival in France Marsailles the 19th of June I made not long stay there but only to carry a Letter which I had for Monsieur the First President of Varix at Aix from whence I returned again to Marsailles and from thence came streight to Paris where I arrived the 24th of July 1612. For which God be Praised for evermore END of the FIFTH BOOK THE TRAVELS AND VOYAGES OF John Mocquet INTO SPAIN Being design'd to travel to other Places and the Causes which made him desist there from BOOK VI. BEING returned from Syria and the Holy-Land with quantity of curious Plants and other rare things which by my diligent Search in several Places I had procured to present to the King and Queen-Regent I failed not so soon as I came to Paris to go do my Reverence to Their Majesties who were very glad to see my Rarities and commanded that a fit Place should be given me in their Palace of the Thuilleries Cabinet in the Thuilleries there to frame a Cabinet of all sorts of Rarities and other curious things which I had gathered together in all my Travels throughout the World But after having so well begun what I had at that time in hand I judged that to pursue it according to my Desire it would be necessary for me to undertake some more Voyages and I had no less design than to encompass the whole World first by way of the Occident and from thence by the Orient to return again into our Occident an Enterprize I must confess so great that the only Presumption of so much as ever having it in my Mind I believe would have gained me Glory enough and yet I hoped that by the Grace of him who had always conducted me every where I should have been able to have brought it to pass But I was defeated of these my Purposes by the Occasions following With this Intention then I left Paris and followed Their Majesties to Tours in the Voyage which they made there in the Year 1614. in July From thence I embarked upon the River Loir to go to Nantes and to St. Leiger to wait for occasion and conveniency to pass to Portugal from whence I was to pursue my Designs But having put out to Sea the Wind turned so contrary that we were forced to draw back to St. Leiger tho' not without a deal of Trouble and there hearing that the King was at Nants I took the Occasion to go there to furnish my self with some Passports which I had forgotten and which I judged needful for my Voyage This being done I returned to St. Leger but I found that the Vessel in my absence had set sail having a right Wind and which was worse had also carried away all my Provisions which I provided for the Passage with some other things which I never could hear of since This was a great Hindrance to me and also an unlucky Presage for my grand Design Yet it hindred me not from embarking as well as I 〈◊〉 into Spain could in another Ship of Aulonne which was going to Andalusia The Ship was called the Florisand and the Master Franchois Michaâ—d We first of all put in at Aulonne then with a right Wind we set out Seven or Eight in Consort for so many Ships we were in all bearing to wards Spain and having continued some time upon the Sea and given chase to some Cruisers we arrived in the Cape of St. Vincent and taking Cognizance of the Cape we ran along by the shore near the Port des Algerves where some of our Ships anchored to Traffick and the rest bore to San Lucar de Baramede where our Ship was bound being laden with Cloth Being arrived in this Place I began to think of some way how to transport my self to Sevilia to get Knowledge as well in Physick and the Art of Apothecaries of which the Practise is something different from ours as also to find means to pass to the East-Indies and accomplish the Voyage which I had proposed to my self Design of the Great Voyage which was to go streight to Mexico and from thence to embark for the Coast of the South-Sea and so to follow the Coast of the East-Indies along by China Camboja Siam Malaca Peru Bengall Coromandel Malabar Goa Diu Ormus and from thence to return by Land through Persia and Babylon to Aleppo and from thence by Sea repair to France my own native Country thus to accomplish so great a Voyage and by the Example of those famous Heroes Magallan Drake Cavendish and Oliver Van dâ—r Nort to encompass the whole Universe But God had otherways disposed thereof and for my own Good his Pleasure being always Just for his own Glory and our Salvation Parting then from San Lucar following the Mareme along by the great River Guadalquivir I came to Seville Seville and immediately placed my self in the Shop of the most famous Apothecary of the whole City in the Street called di los Francos The Master was named Alonso Rodrigo a Portuguese with whom I continued for some time both to learn the Language of which I had already some Knowledge and to have also some Knowledge of Drugs of which this Man made the greatest Traffick For he had Two or Three great Magazines in his House and as much or more in other Places of the City where his Children put off the Drugs After having tarried some time with him I left him for the great Desire I had to find an Occasion to embark but I was still detained by another named Juan Sancha who had also dwelt with this Rodrigo and was Apothecary to the Army and the Frontier Cities in Africa for the King of Spain He was to have a Shop at Marmorre a Place which the Spaniards had newly taken in Barbary and laboured mightily to perfect this Shop which he was to send to this Fortress I tarried then to help him and continued there from the 3d.
very fertile in Corn Wines Oil and all sorts of Fruit and produces also those excellent Horses call'd Gennets When I was there I was told how that the Judge of that Place whom the King of Spain had established there not having a mind to do a piece of Injustice as the Gentlemen and Hidalgo's of the City desired him they had invited him to a Supper with an Intention to put an Affront upon him but he doubting of their Ill-will would not go to them At which they being vexed made his Image and burnt it in a Fire before his own Door in a Bravado and in the mean time he not daring to stir out of his House which was as it were besieged by them Upon which his Wife went strait to Court to make her Complaint to the King and to demand Justice of him which was granted her For the King of Spain commanded these insolent Hidalgo's or Gentlemen to come before him and ordered their Process to be drawn immediately and condemned them every one to have their Heads chopp'd off But when they said for Excuse that they were drunk when they put this Affront upon the Judge they were pardon'd and had his Grace except Two Brothers who never would confess themselves to be drunk when they play'd this Prank and were so glorious that they chose rather to have their Heads cut off than to confess the same as the rest had done And hereupon came the Proverb That Los Hidalgos di Xerez Son Borrachos The Gentlemen of Xerez are Drunkards After having tarried some Days at Xerez I returned to the Port St. Mary expecting to find an occasion for my Embarkment But being there I could not by my utmost Endeavour procure License to pass to the Indies in regard of the rigorous Injunction not to suffer any Strangers to go to the Indies but especially the French yet if I had had Money to give perhaps I might have had this Permission but I had not so much as a Maravedis nor Hopes to meet with any there besides that I found my self somewhat indispos'd All this with the bad Entertainment which I receiv'd amongst these People so Uncharitable and Discourteous gave me cause to desire my Return and thought to embark my self in some Aulonnoâ—â— Ships to return with them to France and indeed I gathered together some rare Plants which I put into a Vessel with some other things of which I never since could hear any notice but that they had cast all into the Sea In the mean time I wondred why this Ship did not set sail but she was hindred by the Decrease of the Moon for the Sea does so follow the course of this changing Planet that it is taken notice that the Ebbing and Flowing is in the heighth when the Moon is in Conjunction This Ship of Aulonne which I waited for was called the Gift of God and belonged to one Peter Bled In the mean time the Vessel departed without taking me in and I remain'd there in no small trouble and misery and had no other Recourse but to put my self into a Boat which I found going to Calix not far from thence and nevertheless we had no small Trouble in our Passage because of the contrary Winds We at last went on shoar in a desart Place about a League from Calix to which Place I went on foot along by the shore I there found Acquaintance but I could not stay there long because the City was filled with Soldiers belonging to the Army of Dom Lous de Fajardo Admiral of the Spanish Fleet who was just returned from Mamorre which he had taken from the Moors and had there found a great Number of Pyrates of whom some he had hanged and put the rest to the Oar the rest were partly sunk and some burnt themselves in despair rather than thoy would yield This Ciâ—y of Calix or Cadis was Calix the Gades so famous in ancient times Gadis where 't is said that Hâ—rcules after having overcome the Gerions planted his memorable Pillars as being the end and utmost Bounds of Navigation at that time but since in these last Ages the Pâ—rtugals and Spaniards have happily found the Plus Vltra which has given them Passage at their Pleasure through all the Orient and Occident These Gad tanâ—an Pillars were upon the Two Mountains Abyla and Calpe placed upon the Extremities of the Straights one in Africa and the other in Europe side now Ceuta and Algezira or else the true Ceuta Pillars compos'd of Tin Gold and Algezira Silver mixed together which were by Hercules put into the Temple of the Parques and afterwards in the Temple Parques dedicated to him in the City of Gades This Straight has since been called Gibraltar or Gabel-Tarif which signifiâ—s Mount of Tarif in Memory of that Renowned Captain who commanded in Chief in the Sarazâ—n War which began the Conquest of Spain The City of Gades in ancient times was not very Populous and is at this Day a little City celebrated for the Salt-pits and Almadraves or the Fishing for the Tonny This was formerly an Isle distant above 700 Paces from the main Land but at present there is only a little Causey which separates it therefrom Seeing then that I could not conveniently tarry at Calix I went into the Fields towards an old ruined Tower which they call the Tower of Hercules not far distant from the Straights I found there some rare Plants which I loaded my self withal and saw this Tower into which I entred though not without a great deal of trouble because the Sea beats against it and besides there came such a furious Wave that I thought it would have carried me away This Building is so well wrought and appears so entire that it seems not to have been 20 Years since it was built Now as I was amongst these Ruines I saw a great Wolf approach towards me which I thought at first to be an Ass but after having known what it was I kept my self still and let it pass along by me without stirring a Foot for I saw that it was looking for Food Not far from these Ruines I found a Temple where I enter'd and it looked like an Azoy or Mosque after the Turkish manner yet there is an Altar set up where sometimes they say Mass As I was returning towards Calix I found the Sea mightily risen so that I was a little wet in repassing the same and had I stayed but a little longer I had had a bad Nights Lodging there At last I passed over and found in my way a good old Man who discoursed a great while with me about all these Antiquities and how that in those Days there was more Men morally Good than now though they and from thence I came to a Place named Chipione where having gotten some Money by certain Cures I returned to San Lucar and from thence to Sevillia where I was forced to continue for some time and joined