of death but there must continue ten days worshipping the Moon within which time if it doth not Rain they cut off his Hand Before the beginning of Lent all the most Eminent assemble and offer Sacrifice to the Moon of an hundred Goats and Kids Heads They observe Lent like the Christians but they begin it with the New Moon in April and keep the Solemnity sixty days during which time they eat no Milk Butter Flesh nor Fish but onely Herbs and Dates or Rice and Honey which they buy in the Cities of the Arabians They are so zealous Observers of this Fast that if they find any to have broken it for the first time they cut off two Fingers of his Right-hand the second time the whole Hand and the third time the Arm. Every Temple of which there are many hath a Caciz call'd by them Hodamo that is a Governor or Judge in Church-matters but holds the Office but one Year which he enters upon by receiving a Staff the Badge of his Authority and wearing always a Cross of a Span and half long about him which he may not part with upon pain of the loss of his Hand In the Temples whereinto at the Rising and Setting of the Moon they enter they use a Stick of two or three Spans long upon which with another Stick they give certain Strokes thrice in the Day and thrice in the Night held by them for a Work of great Holiness Afterwards they go in Procession three times round about the Church-yard turning thrice after every Circuit then they take an Iron Pan made in form of a plain deep Scale hanging upon three Chains into which they put Splinters of sweet Wood and hold the Bason over the Fire then they first perfume the Altar thrice afterwards the Temple Doors and say with a loud voice some Prayers in the Temple and in the Church-yard requesting of the Moon to do good to them onely and no other People At the performance of this Solemnity the Hodamo holdeth upon the Altar a lighted Candle made of Butter for they have none of Wax or Tallow and therefore they have in their Temples Dishes of Butter wherewith they also every day anoint the Cross and other Sticks lying upon the Altar They go upon a certain day of the year with the greatest Cross in Procession round about the Temple and cause it to be carry'd by one chosen out of the whole Assembly whose Fingers after the ending of the Procession they chop off and present him with a little Stick with certain marks upon it for a token that he should be prejudic'd by no body whereupon thenceforth he is held in much greater honor than others They follow in many Churches the Ceremonies and Customs of Nestorius because they were for a long time Govern'd by Ecclesiastical Rulers which came from Babylon They have no set-Day of the Week to go into their Temples but assemble on the Procession-days or when any new occasion calls them They are Circumcis'd like the Moors and if they know any one that is not Circumcis'd they cut off his Fingers for no Uncircumcis'd may enter into their Temples yea the very Women themselves clap their hands at their Husbands if they be not Circumcis'd They bear a great hatred against all Christians nevertheless some are of opinion that they have suck'd in much of the Heresie of the Jacobites and that formerly many were Converted by Francis Xavier According to the Observations of Sir Thomas Roe Ambassador from the King of England to Persia there were in the Year Sixteen hundred and fifteen upon this Island four sorts of People that is Arabians not Natives but Shipt over thither together with many others by order of the King of Kaxem when they subdu'd it These never appear before the Sultan without kissing his Hand The second sort are a kind of Slaves who labor continually in his service and prepare and dress the Aloes The third are Beduins the most antient Inhabitants against whom a long time the King of Socotora made War They live in great numbers upon the Mountains and are at this day left in Peace upon promise to shew their Obedience and let their Children be instructed in the Doctrine of Mahomet The fourth being indeed the right Proprietors of the Countrey are a gross Body'd and miserable People which have no constant abode in the night lying in the Woods and going always stark naked they live by Roots hold no converse with others and lead a life almost like Beasts Trogloditica or New Arabia THe Modern Geographers as Maginus and others name the Countrey or Space of Land lying between the Nile and the Red-Sea properly New Arabia but the Inhabitants according to Castaldus call it Sirfi The Antients nam'd it Trogloditica and Ptolomy The Countrey of the Arabians and Egyptians The Inhabitants were by the Grecians call'd Ichthiophagi that is Fish-eaters by Eustathius Erembers by Diodorus Molgers and Bolgers and in the holy Scripture according to the testimony of Arias Montanus they are call'd Ghanamim and by Pliny Therotho's that is to say Hunters for their swiftness and dexterity in Hunting In the bounding of this Countrey great diversity arises amongst Geographers Ptolomy extends Trogloditick Arabia from the City Suez by the Red-Sea three or according to Peter de la Valla scarce a days Journey and a half from Cairo to Mount Elephas at this day call'd Felte so that he compriseth under it the Sea-Coast of the Kingdoms of Barnagas and Adel. Some extend the Limits in the South to the Territory of Brava the Kingdom of Magadoxo and the River Quilanzi yet make it begin at the forenam'd Suez but a third sort narrow it to the Cape of Guardafuy and some to the Island Mazua in the Red-Sea The chiefest Places as you go from North to South near Suez according to Maginus are these though Belloon gives them to the Nether-Egypt The Haven and Point of Pharos where they say the Children of Israel went over the Red-Sea on dry ground the Seven Wells call'd Sette Pozzi in Italian the Haven of Alkosser or Chessir Sanutus on the other side compriseth a part of this New Arabia viz. all the aforesaid Places from Suez to Chessir under Egypt wherein we have follow'd those who have formerly described Egypt They call the Tract of Land from Chessir to the Sea lying over against the Haven of Suaquena Batrazan In eighteen Degrees and forty Minutes lieth the Haven of Suaquem in the Territory of Canphila in a Hollow of the Sea close by the People call'd Nubiers and Bello's The whole Coast of this Countrey lieth clogged with high rough and unpassable Mountains so set back to back that no access can be had to the Inland Countreys of Ethiopia and the Abyssines but through the Haven of Ercocco and Suachem and that so troublesom that Travellers can scarce go above three or four English miles in a day The Inhabitants at this day are made up of a mixture
200 Ghedue otherwise Sabanut Reigned fifty years with his Brother Agaba yet in one Territory but after the death of Agaba he Reigned a hundred years over all Ethiopia 150 Gedue the second Brother of Agaba a Warlike Man 150 Makeda or Makaada Daughter of Gedue by Josephus call'd Nikoules and by Herodotus Nitocris which was Queen of Saba in Ethiopia according to St. Jerome and not of Saba in Arabia She began to Reign according to Genebrard about the seventeenth year of Saul and travell'd in the fourth year of Solomon's Reign and in the fifteenth year of her own to Jerusalem 77 Milelech by the Abyssines taken for a Son of Solomon and this Queen and commonly call'd The Son of Wisdom his Mother sent in his eighteenth year to Solomon for to bring him up in all Wisdom His Successors until the time of Jesus Christ to the number of twenty one we rank in this following order  Years Andaka Son of Milelech Reigned 1 Anda his Brother 11 Guaasio by Genebrard call'd Gigasio 3 Zangua 44 Guasio scarce half a day  Antet or Autet 61 Bahaza by Genebrard Babara 9 Chanada 2 Chanza 10 Endue 9 Guazha 1 Endrach 1 Chaales 1 Setya 17 Safoelia 27 Aglubu by Genebrard Aglaba 3 Ausena by Genebrard Anskua 1 Breguas 19 Guaase 17 Besceleugua 17 Baazena in whose Reign Jesus Christ was born 27 Furthermore during the time between Solomon and Jesus Christ there is in the holy Scripture a certain King of Ethiopia call'd Zara subdu'd by Abias King of Judah notwithstanding he had an Army of ten hundred thousand Men with three hundred thousand Chariots This Abias lived one thousand five hundred and eleven years after the Flood Genebrard saith several other Kings of Ethiopia that Reigned over Egypt also as Sabakon or Sabachon contemporary with Ozias of Judah and Reigned twelve or according to others fifty years and in the Scripture call'd Sua or So Tarach who in the Reign of Joa that assisted the King of Egypt against Sennacherib King of Assyria But we must endeavor to reduce the Succession to known certainty and then we find after Baazone follow'd his Daughter Candace who for her excellent Qualifications left her Name as an honor to all the Queens since as Pliny hath left to Posterity in his Writing though they wanted not also peculiar denominations In her Reign the Christian Faith first came into Ethiopia by her Chamberlain or Eunuch Baptiz'd by Philip the Evangelist between Jerusalem and Gaza as may be read in the eighth Chapter of the Acts of the Apostles  Years After her came Mesne her Son who Reigned 6 Sekuta 9 Adgala ten years and seven moneths  Agba half a year  Mali 4 Akle 13 Didima 10 Ausete 2 Alda 30 Zecghinos Rama 8 Guzele 26 Besesseoch or Besesserch 4 Asgua or Asguak 77 H. Herk 21 Besesaue or according to Genebrard Besasesne one moneth  Guachene two days  Hadas four moneths  Sagel 5 Affe or Asfe 14 Azgheba 23 Samea or Sameas 3 Aiba or Aibas 6 Sthenden 37 Sacham 9 San 30 Igga 18 Alamide 30 Achinnas 3 Abraham and Asbas two Brothers Reigned about the Year 460. seven and twenty years together afterwards Abraham Reigned fourteen years alone to whom succeeded  Years Asfa and Reigned 7 Sahat 14 Adahana 14 Reth two moneths  Asfa 25 Azba the second 6 Alhamedan 7 Afra and Sahel each two moneths  Chebez 14 Asba the third whom Genebrard seems to call Gebez-Eleoez-Baas 3 Sekul Skull 1 Abra and Adakana 6 Zaham 28 Amida 12 Sahan 2 Azba 4 Zahan the second 15 Gabez 21 Jacob and David two Brothers Reigned both 3 Arma fourteen years seven days and three moneths  Zittahana 12 Jacob 4 Constantine 28 Bestrael that is to say House of Israel eight moneths  Gabra Maschel 14 Nalek in whose time many Churches and Chappels were built in Ethiopia 11 After these are set down the following Kings but without any addition of time for their Government namely Bazen Sentagned Baarsaghed Ghermaasser Salaajuba Kallulasion Sargue Zarai Bagahamai Gianusceda or Gianasceda Zeoneghez Malghene Sefarad Agdahes Abraha Azbaha Asfa Afrad Amsi Ahari Arada Aladona Alameda Tabena Chareb Gabra Mashel Constantine Bezaaghe Asfa Arma Gianasfa Gianascheda Fresennai Adarahaz or Adasahaz Aizar Delnahad and Mada or Madai After him follow'd the Queen Sahada his Relict assumed the Crown and held it tyrannically ruining Churches and Consecrated Places and hiding all their plunder'd Wealth under Ground She being dispossess'd there rose up these Kings following viz. Ambasandin Goemaosfare Girgas Degna Michael Bedegaz Aama Kulladin and Shinahami who was succeeded by Tredada Gabez his Daughter All the foremention'd Kings from Bazen to Shinahami were reputed Saints and Reigned from the Year Seven hundred sixty five to Nine hundred thirty three being an hundred sixty eight years The foremention'd Queen Tredda Gabez Marry'd a Prince out of Bughu or Bugibe and by him had a Son afterwards King of Ethiopia whom desirous to advance to the Throne she endeavor'd to extirpate the whole Stock of Milelech Son of Solomon and Queen Sheba but he escaped from this cruel Design who fled for refuge to the Grandees of Sceva who gave him assistance for the regaining his Inheritance Some nevertheless make five Emperors of the Race of Treda Gabez who they say Reigned three hundred thirty and three years Three of them onely have their Names remembred for their Sanctity and Wisdom viz. Lalibala or Zalibala Imre and Nahakulotab Lalibala caus'd a new Church to be cut out of a Rock Imre was so holy that an Angel as the Abyssines relate served him always with Bread and Wine to Celebrate Mass for he was a Priest adding moreover that by his Prayers he caus'd the Current of the Nyle to stand still This was their Descent  Years The Son of Tredda Gabez not nam'd Reign'd 60 His Son 70 Lalibala 60 Imre 40 And Nahakulotab 50 But the Piety of the three last was not a sufficient Expiation for the Crimes of their Predecessors Usurpations so that the Line of David was restor'd to the Throne by the assistance of those of Sceva aforemention'd The first of them which inherited the Dominion and Royal Style of Axum was  Years Ikumnanlach and Reign'd 15 Jachahazeou 9 After him Baharsada or Esbraad or Esbrabab Kademsaghed Udim and Raab Reign'd in all one with another 15 Andizeon or Aindizeon who died in the Year Thirteen hundred and thirty two 13 Sefarad who died in the Year Thirteen hundred and seventy 28 David who died in the Year Fourteen hundred and twenty and left many Children but none of them inherited 33 He was succeeded by Theodoor who scarce Reign'd two moneths  Isak or Jesua Reign'd 17 Andrias 4 Hesbinaam and Amedes two Sons of Jesua or Isak Reign'd both 5 In their Reign two great Lords instigated the People against the Sons of David and set up a young Child in the Royal Throne during whose Minority they Govern'd the Kingdom
Jerusalem but after his decease the Knights and Templars govern'd it themselves under the Grand Master Godfrey Rat as Chief Commander About the year Twelve hundred twenty five these Knights overcame the City Damiata in Egypt under the Conduct of the Grand Master Guerin de Montaign In the Year twelve hundred and sixty under the Grand Master Haegues de Revel they took from the Saracens the Castle of Lebion whereupon the Sultan concluded to destroy and root out all the Hospitallers and to that end Besieged and took the Castle of Assur in the Year One thousand two hundred sixty five and the following year the Hospitallers and Templars were beaten by the City Ptolemais or Alkre or Acon three years afterwards they lost the Castle of Krak or Montreol In the Year Twelve hundred eighty two The Knights are drove out of the Holy-Land the Hospitallers obtain'd a great Victory under the Grand Master Nicholas de Orgui against the Turks Besieging the Castle of Margat their chiefest strength which yet was deliver'd up in the Year twelve hundred eighty five to the Sultan Melechsait from whence they went to the City Alkre but stay'd not there for by the loss of Tripoli in Syria and likewise of Sidon and Barut in the Year twelve hundred eighty nine and the before-nam'd Alkre in the Year Twelve hundred ninety one the eighteenth of May to the Sultan Melekseraf all the Christians and by consequence these Knights were utterly expell'd out of the Holy-Land after a possession of a hundred ninety one Years ten Moneths and three days since the winning thereof by Godfrey of Bouillon The Knights betook themselves from thence to the Island of Cyprus under the Grand Master Jan de Villices where the King gave him and the Templars the City and Haven of Timesso for their abode Pope Clement the First granted afterwards to this Order all the Goods and Lands which they took from the Infidels for which cause they gathered a strong Army under the Command of the Grand Master Foulques Villaret and took Rhodes from the Turks with several other adjacent Islands whereupon they remov'd from Cyprus to Rhodes and were since call'd The Knights of Rhodes About this time the Order of Knights Templars was suppress'd and their Goods conferr'd upon these Knights by the Pope A long time they defended Rhodes against the assaults of the mahumetans chiefly in the time of Habusar Sultan of Egypt who Besieg'd it five years and in the Year Fourteen hundred and eight the Grand-Seignior Mahomet or Mihammed attempted with an Army of Three hundred thousand Men but was necessitated to leave it with a great loss of Soldiers but at last the Bassa Ibrahim by the Command of Solyman the Magnificent overcame the City and the whole Island in the Year Fifteen hundred twenty two on the day of St. John Baptist having an Army of two hundred thousand men whereof the Siege devour'd above a hundred thousand whereas the Island was scarce furnish'd with six hundred Knights and five thousand Inhabitants After the loss of this Island they went away from it according to the Agreement made with the Turks and Landed first at Castro in Candia but went thence to Messina in Cicilia and from thence in the Year Fifteen hundred twenty three to Civita Vecchia thence again to Viterbo a City in Tuskani where the Pope entertain'd them a while they went from Viterbo in July in the Year Fifteen hundred twenty seven to Cornetto from thence to Franche and from Franche to Nize in Savoy out of this in the Year Fifteen hundred twenty nine they betook themselves to the City Auguste in Cicilia and from thence to Sarragoa where they remain'd by leave of the Emperor Charles the First who took a great content in them for their Valor which they manifested every where to the destroying of the Turks and Corsairs insomuch that Charles at last in the Year Fifteen hundred and thirty the four and twentieth of March out of a voluntary Donation transferr'd the Tenancy to the Knights of the Islands of Malta and Goza aforemention'd with a Proviso to give every year for an Acknowledgment a Falcon which the Grand Master should bring himself or send to the Vice-Roy of Sicily In the same Year The Knights take their abode in Malta the six and twentieth of October the Knights took possession thereof under the Grand Master Philip de Villiers and have since that been call'd The Knights of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem in Malta or singly Knights of Malta The intention of instituting this Order in the beginning was to serve the Pilgrims which travell'd to Jerusalem and to assist them with all their Power to keep the Ways secure for such as travel'd to visit the Holy Sepulchres But at this day their chiefest business is against the Turk and all Infidels and to serve Christendom as a Buckler of Defence against them These Knights glory in themselves A Letter from the Grand Master Lackaris that they are an Order which hitherto hath had no other Foes than those that are Enemies to the Name of Christ being a renown'd as well as an admirable Institution without advantage or any other reward than that of Vertue their probity continually exercising it self in the prudent Education of its noble Posterity even with the hazard of their lives and wishing nothing else but to persevere in the shewing of their Valor in Fighting against the Wicked They manage great Wars against the Turks and all Infidells without joyning or confederating with any Party in the Quarrel of Christendome and are by all Christian Princes known to be impartial being indeed an Order consisting of the flower of the Nobility of all Europe establish'd in the defence of Christian Princes who by their glorious Enterprises of a renown'd and Holy War have five whole Ages approv'd themselves famous and honourable towards Christendom and at all times formidable to their Enemies They have in Services and Warlike Exploits so highly merited of the Roman Emperors Kings and other Christian Princes that they stand in a perpetual League with them and have been receiv'd into the Protection of the Roman Empire according to the purport of the Letters from the Emperor Charles the fifth given and granted at Antwerp the four and twentieth of May in the Year Fifteen hundred and forty where he saith The aforesaid Order many years since and even beyond imagination have been a continual Defence against the Turk that great Persecutor of our Faith and have most valiantly spent their Blood against him for the defence of Religion and performed many excellent Deeds whereupon our Predecessors Roman Emperors and Kings have receiv'd them into singular Protection and Favor The Popes who confirm'd the Institution of this Order held to be Temporal and Secular not onely in respect of their chiefest Employment but for that they stand exempted both in their Persons and Goods from the Power and Authority of the Clergy All
not eight-pointed as upon the Mantle But such as have resided ten years in Malta and made four Expeditions in Person in the Galleys may wear the great Cross upon the Breast yet they must afterwards present their Request in full Council The Grand Master the Bishop of Malta the Prior of the Church of St. John the Conventual and Capital Bailiffs wear the great Cross upon their Breasts but all the other the little One. Every Brother by obligation must every day repeat an hundred and fifty Pater Nosters for such as have been slain in their Wars But the Priests Deacons Sub-Deacons and Clerks perform other Offices All except the Sons of great Lords generated by a Father Grandfather and great Grandfather of Temporal Nobility Sons of covetous Persons or that are sprung from Saracens or Mahumetans though deriving from the greatest Princes such as do Homage to any other Order though by the appointment of the Chapter greatly Deformed Murtherers or vitious People nor any under eight and twenty years of age may be receiv'd into this Order yet the Grand Master may admit Boys of twelve years old of what Nation soever they be into Salary Those also design'd to be taken into this Order must be of comely Personage strong Limbs sound in Body and Mind and of good Behavior and every one must show that he belongs to the Priory he says he is of They must as Probationers before they receive the Garment stay a Year and a Day in the Cloister The Servants Brothers and Chaplains must not be of Vulgar Extract but must manifest that they are descended from Worthy Parents which have never wrought in any Handicraft and have always liv'd honourably and vertuously The Pensioners or Half-Cross-men are to be receiv'd by Bailiffs Priors and others with permission of the great Lord and may wear but three Branches of the Cross of Malta on the left side of their Coat and may not set the upper Branch These may not be receiv'd if they be descended from Jews Saracens or Mahumetans or if they have not liv'd well or have exercis'd any Mechannick Art and have not given some part of their Goods or Estate to the Order but they may be Marry'd No Knight of what Dignity soever may bestow his Goods farther than his Salary For petty Crimes they allow a Sanctuary but Robbers or Pyrates burners of Houses betrayers of their Countrey Thieves false Witnesses sacrilegious Persons and such like are utterly excluded from all Mercy The chief Head of this Order calls himself Lowly The Title of the Grand Master or Humble Servant of the holy House or Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem and of the Order of Soldiers of the holy Sepulchre of our Lord Defender of Christian Arms. But the receiv'd Title is The Illustrious and most Reverend Prince Lord Prior A. of V. Great Master of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem Prince of Malta and Gaza The Habit of the Grand Master is a long Coat Garments hanging down to the Ground with wide Sleeves and a round Bonnet upon his Head For the upholding of his State and Grandeur he hath several Commanderies lying in every Priory and united to the Grand Mastership After the death of one Grand Master the Knights chuse another who is afterwards Inaugurated with great State and Solemnity In brief we will give you a Catalogue of all the Grand Masters since Gerard the first Instituter of this Order to the present Cottoner by way of Chronology The first Grand Master or rather Founder of this Order was The first Grand Master as before related one Gerard though Menenius sets down one Raymond du Puy for the first affirming that Gerard gave onely the first Fundamental Rules but Raymond du Puy was the first Grand Master however we will begin with Gerard who died in the Year 1118. Raymond du Puy a Dauphiner or Florentine as Massiger will have it by the Latines of his time call'd De Podio the first Grand Master of the Hospital of St. John according to the Tradition of the Knights although some set before him one Roger who in the Year 1130. as they say had the Government This Raymond seeing the Society increase in number grow rich in Means and that they were most of them nobly descended perswaded them by his example to take up Arms for the defence of the Faith as a Matter suitable to their Devotion and Nobility According to the relation of the Knights themselves this Raymond and not Gerard Instituted the wearing of a black Coat with an eight-pointed white Cross He also setled a general Assembly wherein for the future Vacancies were to be suppli'd by the approbation of the Knights which Rule Pope Calixtus the second allow'd and confirm'd in the Year 1120. and afterwards his Successors Decreed That the Knights should live according to the Order of St. Augustine This Raymond first bore in his Standards or Banners a Silver Cross in a yellow Field by order of Pope Innocent in the Year 1130. and since that time the Spirituality distinguish'd into Knights Chaplains and Servants of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem He died in the Year 1160. Augea de Balben a Dauphiner died after three years Reign in the Year 1167. Arnold de Comps deceased in the Year 1167. Gilbert de Assaley an English-man unhappily brought the Order into a Debt of an hundred thousand Crowns and therefore was dismissed in the Year 1169. but coming home to his Countrey by Sea was cast away with all his People in the same Year Gaste or Caste succeeded and died within the said Year 1169. Joubert came next and died in the Year 1179. Moger or Roger de Moulins was kill'd in a Battel against Saladin in the Year 1187. Garnier of Naples in Syria died of a mortal Wound receiv'd in Battel having Reign'd scarce six Moneths and ten Days in the Year 1187. Ermengar or Emengar extracted out of the House of Aps in Vivarez died in the Year 1192. Godfrey of Duisson died in the Year 1194. Alfonsus a Portuguese was descended from the Kings of Portugal but seeing himself envy'd by the Knights because of his morosity laid down his Office and went the same Year to Portugal where he was poyson'd by his Brother in the Year 1026. Godfrey or Geofrey le Rat Grand Prior of France died in the Year 1027. Guerin de Montaigu of Avergne in the Year 1230. Bertrand de Texi deceased in Akra in the Year 1240. Guerin or Gerin was taken Prisoner in a Battel against the Infidels Corasminers and sent to the Sultan of Egypt where he died in the Year 1245. Bertrand de Comps a Dauphiner died of his Wounds receiv'd against the Turks in the Year 1248. Peter de Vellebride taken with Lewis King of France in a Field-Battel by the Sultan of Egypt Melechsala and released by the Hospitallers in the Year 1251. and died at Akra in the same Year William de Castelnau or of New
Castile of the Alberge of Avergne died in the Year 1260. Hugues de Revel a Dauphiner ended his Life in the Year 1278. Nicholas de Orgue deposed in the Year 1288. John de Villiers a French-man died at Cyprus in the City of Limesso in the Year 1203. Odon des Pins of Provence was for his carelesness and covetousnesness cited to appear at Rome and answer the Complaints of the Hospitallers but died in the Way to Italy in the Year 1296. Guilliam de Villaret born in Provence or rather according to Davity of the House of Villaret in Dauphin died also in Cyprus having seen the downfall of all the Templars in the Year 1338. Folque or Fulques de Villaret a Branch of the same House was through the hatred of the Knights for his over-great austerity dismissed and Maurice de Pagnak of Provence chosen to the great dislike of the Pope who sent two Prelates to Rhodes to take cognizance of the Matter with Command to the Grand Master De Villaret and Pagnak to appear before him in Avignon as they did In the mean time the Pope chose one Gerard des Pins Governor of the Order to be Grand Master During this Contest Maurice de Pagnak died at Monpeliers in the Year 1322. and then Folque was restor'd but seeing himself afterwards hated of the Knights he laid down his Office in the Year 1323. and liv'd like a private Knight He died the first of September and was bury'd at Monpeliers in the Year 1327. Elion of Velleneune of Provence was presented by the Knights before the Pope to establish him in this Dignity He held at Monpeliers a general Assembly in the year 1330. two years after went to Rhodes and clear'd the Order from all Debts and enrich'd it He got afterwards the Name of The Lucky Governor He first commanded the Palace of the Grand Master to be fortifi'd with Walls and Towers and divided the Languages Bailiwicks and Dignities of the Order He died at Rhodes the 27 of May in the year 1346. Deodat de Gozon of Provence about four years before his Election had kill'd a Dragon or venomous Serpent which poyson'd and devour'd the Inhabitants of Rhodes for which cause according to Megisser he was call'd The Dragon-killer He died in the year 1353. Peter of Coraillon of Provence died the 24 of August in the year 1355. Roger des Pins deceased the 28 of May in the year 1356. Raymout Berenger was extracted out of the antient House of the Berengers of Dauphin He would have laid down his Office of his own accord but Pope Gregory not permiting of it he died Master in the year 1373. Robert de Jully of Julliack Grand Prior of France died the 29 of June in the year 1376. John Fernandez de Heredia of the Alberge of Arragon born at Valentia was after a second Marriage made Knight and chose Grand Master He besieged the City of Patras in Morea slew the Governor in Battel but was afterwards in a Siege taken by the Turks to whom he was forc'd to render Patras and all the other conquer'd Places for his Release yet the Turks carry'd him to Albania and made him a Slave till the year 1381. when he was released Afterwards he was deposed from his Dignity by Urban the sixth because he went to Avignon to acknowledge Clement the eighth and in the year 1383. was substituted in his Place Richard Caracciolo but the Order would not own him so that Richard died at Rome in the year 1395. in the life-time of Heredia who yielded up quietly his Life in the year 1396. Filibert de Nadaillack or rather Naillack of the French Grand Prior of Aquitain died after a Reign of 25 years in the year 1421. Anthony Fluvian of the Language of Arragon He Govern'd the Order with great Wisdom and Discretion and died the 29 of October in the year 1437. John de Lastick of Dauphin of the Alberge of Avergne where he was Prior and chosen to the Mastership in his absence He held before his coming to Rhodes an Assembly at Valentia in Dauphin and came in the year 1438 to Rhodes and died the 19 of May in the year 1454. Joubert or Jaques de Milly of the same Place and where also he was Prior died the 17 of August in the year 1461. Peter Raimond Zacosta by Megisser call'd Acosta of Arragon He erected the eighth Alberge of Castile and Portugal whereas before there were but seven and built the Tower of St. Nicholas at the Mouth of the Haven of Rhodes in the Place where formerly the Collossus stood He died at Rome the 21 of February in the year 1467. Baptista Ursina of the Italians Alberge sprung from the House of Ursina a Prior at Rome was chose the fourth of March 1467. and died the eighth of June in the year 1476. Peter de Aubusson Prior of Avergne died at Rhodes the third of July in the 80 year of his Age after a Reign of 27 years in the year 1503. Emery de Amboise Grand Prior of France died at Rhodes the 13 of November in the year 1512. Guy de Blanchefort Prior of Avergne Nephew of the Grand Master of Abousson but passing in a Ship to Nice to Sail over to Rhodes died on the Sea the 24 of November in the year 1513. Fabrice de Caretto Extracted out of the Stock of Marquis de Finale a Genouese was Elected the fifth of December in the year 1513. and died the 16 of January in the year 1521. Filips de Villiers d'Isle Adam Grand Prior of France during whose Government the Knights lost Rhodes and got of the Emperor Charles the Island Malta He died at the Age of 70 years the 21 of August in the year 1543. Perin de Ponte an Italian born at Ast Unckle to Pope Julius the third was chosen the 26 of August the same year and died the 17 of November in the year 1535. Didier de Tolon of St. Jalle of the Language of Provence and Prior of Tholouse died at Montpelier being upon his departure for Malta the 16 of September in the year 1536. Jan de Homedes of the Alberge of Arragon came after his Election the 21 of January 1538 to Malta He had lost one of his Eyes in the Siege of Rhodes and caus'd the Forts of St. Elmo and St. Michael to be built and died in the 80 year of his Age the 16 of September in the year 1553. Claude de la Sengle of the French number was chosen at Rome whether he had been sent Ambassador and came to Malta in January 1554. He enrich'd the Order very much and died the 18 of August in the year 1557. Jan de Valette that is to say Parisot of Provence was chosen the 21 of August 1557. to the great content of the whole Order for the Respect he had from all Nations In less than two years he was General or Admiral of the Galleys Marshal of Lango Great Commander Prior of St. Giles's Lieutenant of the
Shores just the contrary yet both scituated alike under the Torrid Zone in which Season happen great Floods both from the Ocean and sudden Falls from the Mount Gatis not far distant The like is found also at Cape Rosalgate and Guardafuy the utmost Eastern Point of Africa ¶ BUt to make a deeper and more exact Disquisition is that all Arabia towards the East of Africa lies enclosed with Mountains whose Rocky Battlements appear above the Clouds their swoln Ridges extending themselves in a long continued Wall reach from the bottom of the Arabian Gulf to the Islands of Curiamurie these towery Hills of so prodigious height not onely put to a stand all Windes and Rain but turn them in their hurrying Eddyes so dispersing every way as well as in the two out-stretching Capes of Mosamde and Rosalgate though they lye much lower than the rest of the Sea Coast On these Rocky Ascents appearing to Sea-ward rough and rugged the poor Arabians in a very sad condition make their residence These people have Winter with those of Coromandell for their remoter Suns brings them Cold and Wet but those who dwell on the other side of the Mountains towards the Coast of Frankincense have the same seasons with those of Malabar so these Mountains work the like effect on the Arabians as Gatis on the Indians their Winter falling in June July and September both in the Land of Frankincense Arabia Felix and the whole Coasts of the Curiamurian Isles unto the Lake Babalmandab Near the Arabian Gulf in Ethiopia you will meet there also the like alterations and the same seasons of the year as at Guardafuy and the Kingdom of Adell and all along the Ethiopick Coasts to the Mouth of Babalmandab as we have or those of Coromandell finding in December and January their hardest weather Then they which live betwixt twenty and thirty miles off the Coast have their Colds more milde and their Rains so temperate and harmless they seem rather a comfort than a disturbance Nature conferring on them such refreshing Coolness but if you venture farther up into the Countrey then the Scene changing you are tormented with excessive Heat for at the same instant while Winter smiles on the Shore it rages farther up and their gentle Rains below so unequal to their deluging Showres above that then there is no travelling any way all Passages being obstructed with Floods so sudden and violent that many perish there with extream Cold meerly from the raw Defluxes of chilling waters such alterations the Mountain Dabyri Bizan causes The Portugees and Hollander have also discovered many more such places in Congo and Angola where their Winter and violent Rains commence in the Vernal Equinox and continue March April and May their milder showres in the Autumnal September and October so that in some places they have two Seasons their former and later Rain for those steep Mountains whence Zaire Coansa Bengo and other great Rivers descend obstruct the course of the Air and the Land-windes being hot and dry but the South-west winde coming from Sea brings Rain hence it is manifest that Africa under the Torrid Zone is for the most part Habitable ¶ AMongst the Ancients Ancient Discoveries of it Hanno a Carthaginian set forth by that State discovered long since much of the Coasts of Africa but pierced not far the Inland Countrey nor did his Voyage give any great light that they might after steer by though translated from the Punick Language into Greek and published by Sigismund Gelenius at Bazill in 1533. and in the Reign of Necho King of Egypt some Phenicians from the Red-sea sayl'd by the Coast of Africa to Gibraltar from thence returning the same way they came Of which * Herodotus wrote nine Books of History according to the number of the Muses entituling them in order by one of their Names Herodotus in his †Fourth Book Melpomene says The Phenicians sayling from the Red-sea came into the Southern Ocean and after three years reaching Hercules Pillars return'd through the Mediterranean reporting wonders how that they had the Sun at Noon on their Starboard or North-side to which I give little Credit and others may believe as they please Nor did Sataspes Voyage in the Reign of Xerxes King of Persia in the year of the world 3435. give us any better Hints of which thus Herodotus in the same Book Sataspes Teaspes son ravishing a Virgin and Condemned to be Crucified by the Mediation of his Mother Darius Sister was to suffer no more than to undertake a Voyage round Africa which he but sleightly perform'd for passing Gibraltar he sayl'd to the utmost Point called Siloe * Perhaps Bon Speranza or Cape de Verd. from thence sayling on Southward but being weary returning the same way he came made a strange Relation to Xerxes how he had seen remote Countreys where he found few People in Tyrian Purple but such as when they drew near Land forsook their Abodes and fled up into the Mountains and that they onely drove some of their Cattel thence doing them no further Damage Adding also that he had sayl'd round Africa had it not been impossible To which the King giving small credit and for that Sataspes had not perform'd his Undertakings remitted him to his former Sentence of Crucifying ¶ AS little avail'd that Expedition of the * A People inhabiting Tunis Nasamones to this Discovery who as Herodotus relates in his †Second Book Euterpe chose by lot five young men of good Fortunes and Qualifications to explore the African Desarts never yet penetrated to inform themselves of their Vastness and what might be beyond These setting forth with fit Provision came first where onely wilde Beasts inhabited thence travelling west-ward through barren Lands after many days they saw a Plain planted with Trees to which drawing near they tasted their Fruit whilest a Dwarf-like People came to them about half their stature neither by speech understanding the other they led them by the hand over a vast Common to their City where all the Inhabitants were Blacks and of the same size by this City ran towards the East a great River abounding with Crocodiles which Etearchus King of the Ammonians to whom the Nasamones related this supposed to be the Nile This is all we have of Antiquity and from one single Author who writ 420 years before the Incarnation which sufficiently sets forth the Ignorance of the Ancients concerning Africa ¶ BUt what they knew not and thought almost impossible to be known is common for the secrets of the Deep and remotest Shores are now beaten and tracted with continual Voyages as well known Roads are since Vasques de Gamma a Portugees Anno 1497. first opened the Discovery and finish'd to the no small Honor of the Nation his intended Design for that People having got ground upon the Spaniard widening the bredth of their commodious Sea-coasts first fell on the Moors in Africa taking several of their best
the Dead happy by a Heavenly influence with a Divine dew of the Spirit The Wisdom of the Sun quicken it with his own Heavenly dew Hermanubis bring it with his Ruling influence into the Garden of Osyris In another rank sometimes stands aloft upon a Serpent with a half circle and an out-stretched Arm an Image revers'd and looking backwards toward an Altar a Wreathed Cord with three Blossoms of the Plant Lotus a hooded Fowl upon two Scepters one Scepter two Semi-circles an Eye a Fowl with extended Wings a crooked stump with a Mans Foot of which Father Kircher gives this Explanation The Tutelar God moved by Offerings and due and acceptable Solemnities grant life to this Corps and bring this Body into the Heavenly Constellations Whence it appears that the Hieroglyphicks were set upon these Urns for no other ends but that the Deity moved and drawn thereby should first protect the Body against all Infirmities and afterwards bring it to the Heavenly habitations with all good success and satisfaction Some Coffins or Urns are inscribed with Dogs-heads Rolls of Paper found in the Mummies Others have representations of the Anatomies or Dissections of Bodies to be Embalmed with the Balsam pots about them In these Chests sometimes are found Labels of Paper rowled up one in another written with abundance of these Characters for this Sacred Learning in the opinion of the Egyptians did not onely signifie hidden things but had also a great power and vertue in them to procure the Protection of the Gods to whomsoever they were thus affixed In these Rolls the chiefest Portraitures of the Gods which are also sculp'd upon the Pyramids and in the very same order as they use to be carryed about in Solemn Festivals call'd Comasien after the manner of Procession for they placed a great Mysterie in the graceful and sumptuous order of the Gods marching decently one after another For this very cause were these Images set by the Corps to protect them from all adverse and evil Spirits and to lead the Souls to Blisse These Rollers therefore describe onely the Funeral Pomp or Solemnity of Burials The Funeral Pomp of the Egyptians which they carry forth most sumptuously those especially of Kings Priests and other persons of great Quality bearing several Images of most of the Gods upon Sacred Supporters thereby to procure their grace and favour to the deceased Party The Portraiture of two such Funeral Solemnities What Figures stood upon it according to the Draughts found in the Mummies are to be seen in Kircher's Book of the Mummies where you may find according to this Method Isis of Memphis with Strings and a Scarf upon her head and out-stretched Arms and Hands signifying the Spirit of the Deceased The Goddess Nemphte and the God Anubis with Arrows and Darts in their Hands Two other Images of Anubis and Nephte upon their knees adorn'd also with Darts and Sycles The two first which go upright seem to be Priests of Anubis and Nephte whose Images they follow'd to reconcile those Gods A Serpent with his Breast and Head raised up An Image with a mans Face but the Body of a Serpent representing the Spirit of the World A Tripos or Trevet joyn'd by three Angles Two Dogs sitting as Warders of their Sacred Dominions Two bundles of offensive Weapons with a Caduceus and Ball therein out of which creeps a Serpent A Bar between Perches whereupon stood two Falcons covered with a consecrated Cloth A Biere with the Funeral Bed of Memphti the Tutelar God of Nilus and Anubis under it The Veil of Horus The Scepter of Monphti Water-pots and an Egyptian Bani or Ship with other Images belonging to the adornment of their several Mummies At length the Corps or the Mummy Embalmed and wound up with many folds and dress'd with various remarkable Characters After that a humane Figure with erected Arms and a Tail pendant which they use to carry about at Anniversary Obsequies or Annual Celebrations of Funerals Several other Images also headed like a Hawk and Bodied like a Serpent at last seven Oxen with a covering cast over their Backs signifying the seven days and a * Which we may suppose to be six hours quarter that concern the Birth of the Goddess Isis during which time none according to the received opinion are hurt by the Crocodiles and that there is a cessation of punishment from any of their offended Deities After all this followed several other Images This is the representation of an Egyptian Funeral Solemnity for in such Order they march which as a hidden matter full of Mysteries the Egyptians describe upon the mentioned Rolls of Paper firmly believing that the Corps will thereby remain freed from the vengeance of those Deities Some with much mistake have judg'd that the life and praise of the Deceased is Hieroglyphically described hereby but the former Descriptions have sufficiently declared the contrary The antient Romans have wholly and altogether followed the Egpptians in their Funeral Solemnities Gutherus as Gutherus in his Book of The Jurisdiction of Spirits sets forth in like manner also have all the usual Ceremonies which the old Romans observ'd toward their Corps had their original from them Many Mummies have under their Tongue a small Plate of Gold of the value of two Duckats Gold Plates in the Mummies for covetousness of which the Arabians and others which dwell in Egypt break up most of the Mummies which they finde undefaced Among several which have treated of the Mummies Athanasius Kircher in his Book of the Egyptian Hieroglyphicks Johannes Nardius in his Exposition of Lucretius and Peter de la Valla deserve singular esteem The two first for the exact description of the Mummies and the last for not onely describing but also for his diligent searching of them among which he found two most remarkable one of a Man and the other a Woman which he exactly describes in this manner Upon a piece of a great gilded Winding-sheet that lay flat upon the Mummy The Description of the Mummy of a young Man was the shape of a young Man in a long Veil of fine Linnen as the antient Egyptians used to be cloth'd artificially represented and all over from head to foot delineated with Hieroglyphicks The Head was cover'd with a Wreath of Gold and Pretious Stones under which black-colour'd Hair appear'd in like manner the Beard was black and curl'd but small On his Neck he had a Gold Chain with a piece of Coyn like a Single-penny on his Breast such as the Governors of Provinces in Egypt wore formerly whereupon the Bird Ibis with several observable Marks were pourtrayed which seems to import that this young Man had been of quality in his time He held in his right Hand a Golden Cup with red Liquor for a token of presenting the Drink-offering and in his left Hand a Fruit not unlike a Malacatoon with a Gold Ring on the fore and little finger He had on
always speak in these Terms of high Preheminence WE the Great and Small the Puissant and Invincible Militia of Algier and of its whole Realm have Determined and Resolved But the better to understand what concerns this Militia I do think fit to speak of it first in particular untill we come to speak of its Divan and Government When I consider this Militia I fancy it to be like unto a Basilisk which Nature hath crowned for the King of Serpents but whose Looks are contagious and mortal Even so doth this Monster carry Death in its Eyes so dangerous is it to all those whom it intends to hurt and it is onely its violence that hath put the Crown upon its Head It consists of Twenty two thousand Men of which some are Natural Turks of the Levant and Sons of Turks which they call Couloys and the rest Renegadoes or Strangers or Natives of the Place There is a necessity of having always some Natural Turks to the end the Advantage may be equal betwixt them and the Renegadoes without either getting the Mastery of the other Nevertheless the Renegadoes cannot be Souldiers or receive Pay in the Militia unless they be free and franck that is unless they have found out some means to Redeem themselves or their Masters have conferred on them the Priviledge of Freedom which they sometimes do when they have been well Served or when they become Renegadoes at their solicitation for although a Christian Captive do take the Turban and turn Turk yet do they not cease to be Slaves unless he be freed by one of those ways But if it chance that there remain but few Natural Turks in this Militia either for that they are dead or for that they are return'd into their Native Countrey in such Case the new Bashaws which come from Constantinople bring others along with them or send for them into the Levant insomuch that in such Case they take the first that come and very often the poor Shepherds or such like which they train up to handle Arms. The Moors and Arabs can have no Office in this Militia thereby to prevent the suspicion that might arise lest that being Natives of the Place they should conspire under-hand together to expell thence the Turks and Renegadoes and assume the Soveraign Authority into their own hands Nor are the Morisks who were driven out of Spain admitted to that Priviledge And if there be occasion to Enroll a Man which is most commonly done onely in Algier it is the Custom to go and find out the Aga who is the Chief of the Militia or the Colonel or the General as also the Clerk to the Divan who do take the Names of those that are listed and instantly put them into Pay which is Four Doubles a Moneth Their Pay each Double being worth Ten Sols of French Money They have moreover each day Four Ammunition-Loaves but if they be Married as they may be they have no Bread but may dwell in the City with their Family This Pay is encreased a Double by the Moneth as often as those who receive it are found to be in the Field gathering the Lismes or Tributes of the Moors or that a new Bashaw doth come and as often likewise as any Male-Child is born unto the Grand Seignior And thus the said Pay mounteth until it come to Forty Doubles the Moneth but can never rise higher according to the present Establishment for any Officer whatever And this was Enacted some years since by reason there was not found Money enough to pay the whole Militia From this Militia are drawn forth all the Souldiers of the Garrisons which are dispersed in the Frontier Towns of the Kingdom which are changed every Six Moneths and are called the Pubes of which the Brigades are composed as hath been said above Now when the question is made about Arming a Pyrate-Ship amongst the other Souldiers there are constantly some of this Militia of which Three or four thousand remain in Algier for a Guard to the City and to serve upon the occasions that may arise As for their Quarter it is ordinarily in Nine great Houses which they call Casseria's where or elsewhere they may follow any Trade that they are skill'd in In which doubtless that which doth much encourage them is that the least among them may attain when time shall serve according to his order of reception to be the chief Commander of this Militia for they successively rise from Degree to Degree and from Office to Office until they come to the Quality of Aga nor can any Favour or other Consideration change this method And because it is impossible to understand this but by knowing the Degrees and Names of those Officers it is requisite that I here insert them beginning at the lowest and ascending to the highest From simple Souldiers and Janizaries who are called Oldachy's after a certain time as their turn comes they are made Biquelars otherwise Cooks to the Divan which is the first step to rise unto the great Offices following These Biquelars are those that in the Casseria's Garrisons Camps or Armies are to take care about providing Meat and Drink for the Officers and principal Commanders of this Militia From Biquelars and Caterers they come to be Odabachy's that is Corporals of Companies or Commanders of Squadrons of which the number of Souldiers is not limited for they consist sometimes of Ten and sometimes of Twenty These have Six Doubles a Moneth for Pay and expectation of having it augmented to them as we have said already and they wear for a mark of Honour a great Trayle of half a Foot broad which hangeth down their Backs above a Foot in length with two long Ostrich Feathers From the Charge of Odabachy's they rise to that of Boulouchbachy's or Captains which one may know by a piece of Copper Gilt which they wear upon their Turban in fashion of a Pyramid and a very high Plume From Boulouchbachy's or Captains they come to be Ajabachy's which are but Twenty four and are the chief of the Divan From the quality of Ajabachy's they ascend to that of Aga Commander or Colonel-General of all the Militia They can continue but two Moneths at the most in this Charge and sometimes they change five or six of them in a day when they are not judged capable thereof by the Divan insomuch that sometimes there have been Three in a quarter of an hour But let them be never so unfit for it yet nevertheless the have all the honour to have presided in the Divan although that sometimes they have not been Seated in the Chair of the Aga nor declared such and in that case the Bashaw is obliged to give each of them a Scarlet Vest After they have past the Dignity of Aga they hold the Quality of Mansulaga's that is to say they are such as our Veterans called by the Romans Emeriti Milites for they are after that no longer obliged to the Function of
Court up and down which certain Chiaus's pass to and again with Pots full of Water to offer those to drink that desire it All the Affairs of this Divan are propounded and resolv'd in the Turkish Tongue so that there is a necessity that all the Officers do understand and speak it otherwise they cannot be admitted into the same And this is practised amongst them thereby to testifie how much they value and esteem the Turkish Empire And for this cause it is that they have always in the Divan an Interpreter of Languages of which they ordinarily make use to understand the Christians and Moors when they have any Complaint or Petition to present there being no Nation in that place which hath not his Truchment to explain his thoughts These Officers and Councellors of State being in this manner assembled the Aga propoundeth with an audible voice that which is then to be debated addressing himself first to the Bashaw if he be present and to the twenty four Ajabachy's Which being done he puts the thing to the Vote of the whole Divan and requires their opinion and resolution in the Case which is taken in this manner After that the four Officers which are call'd Bachouldala'es have heard the Proposal of the Aga they make it to be understood to the whole Divan in a loud voice without stirring from their places The word thus past unto the last of the Officers remounts from one to another with a strange voice and murmuration when it happens that the thing doth not please the assembly And that being done the Aga giveth his Determinations according as the Vote was for or against the Proposal that he made In the mean time amongst this confus'd variety of Opinions they observe not for the greater part of the time either Order or Law but are constrain'd to conclude the Affair indifferently either with Justice or Injustice as it best pleaseth these goodly Councellors who being for the most part Mechanicks know not how either to write or read so that consequently in their ridiculous Advice they are guided onely by the motion of their Passion and of their bruitish Ignorance wherein sometimes they fall to hot Contests As particularly upon the Twenty sixth of August in the Year One thousand six hundred thirty four there happened to arise a great Difference betwixt the Bashaw and the Assembly The noise thereof was such or to say better the howlings were so great that no man ever heard any thing so frightful In this Commotion they pusht one the other with design to rush upon the Bashaw and seem'd to argue with each other who should be the first that should lift up his arm to strike For it is a Custom that he that beginneth the Tumult in lifting up his hands which he holdeth across in the Assembly is sure that whether he have right on his side or no he shall be seiz'd on and put into a Sack and thrown into the Sea Which yet did not happen at that time for that in the end the Bashaw and the Aga found out a way to appease the Tumult Where it is farther to be noted that the Women who have Complaints to offer assemble sometimes to the number of an hundred of their Kinswomen and Friends who all veil'd repair to the Gate of the Divan and there cry Charala that is to say Justice of God and are very readily heard ¶ IN the last place we will briefly give an Account of the Emperour Charles the Fifth when he besieg'd this City and of the great Loss he suffer'd therein This Prince in the Year One thousand five hundred forty one Charles the Fifth besieges Algier having Embarqued upon the Sea an Army of Twenty two thousand Men aboard Eighteen Gallies and an hundred tall Ships not counting the Barques and Shallops and other small Boats in which he had engaged the principal of the Spanish and Italian Nobility with a good number of the Knights of Maltha he was to Land on the Coast of Barbary at a Cape call'd Matifou From this Place unto the City of Algier a flat Shore or Strand extends it self for about four Leagues the which is exceeding favourable to Gallies There he put ashore with his Army and in a few days caused a Fortress to be built which unto this day is call'd The Castle of the Emperor In the mean time the City of Algier took the Alarm having in it at that time but Eight hundred Turks and Six thousand Moors poor-spirited men and unexercised in Martial affairs besides it was at that time Fortifi'd onely with Walls and had no Out-works Insomuch that by reason of its weakness and the great Forces of the Emperour it could not in appearance escape taking In fine it was Attaqued with such Order that the Army came up to the very Gates where the Chevalier de Sauignac a Frenchman by Nation made himself remarkable above all the rest by the miracles of his Valour For having repulsed the Turks who having made a Sally at the Gate call'd Babason and there desiring to enter along with them when he saw that they shut the Gate upon him he ran his Ponyard into the same and left it sticking deep therein They next fell to Battering the City by the Force of Cannon which the Assailants so weakened that in that great extremity the Defendants lost their Courage and resolved to surrender But as they were thus intending there was a Witch of the Town His Fleet and Army overthrown and wrack'd by Witchcraft whom the History doth not name which went to seek out Assam Aga that Commanded within and pray'd him to make it good yet nine Days longer with assurance that within that time he should infallibly see Algier delivered from that Siege and the whole Army of the Enemy dispersed so that Christians should be as cheap as Birds In a word the thing did happen in the manner as foretold for upon the Twenty first day of October in the same Year there fell a continual Rain upon the Land and so furious a Storm at Sea that one might have seen Ships hoisted into the Clouds and in one instant again precipitated into the bottom of the Water insomuch that that same dreadful Tempest was followed with the loss of fifteen Gallies and above an hundred other Vessels which was the cause why the Emperour seeing his Army wasted by the bad Weather pursued by a Famine occasioned by wrack of his Ships in which was the greatest part of his Victuals and Ammunition he was constrain'd to raise the Siege and set Sail for Sicily whither he Retreated with the miserable Reliques of his Fleet. In the mean time that Witch being acknowledged the Deliverer of Algier was richly remunerated and the Credit of her Charms authorized So that ever since Witchcraft hath been very freely tolerated of which the Chief of the Town and even those who are esteem'd to be of greatest Sanctity among them such as are the Marabou's
hundred Families but in the adjacent Fields scatter'd about are at least twelve thousand ¶ THis Territory is full of Sandy Plains except in one Spot near the City in which grow many Dates Barley and Tares which the Inhabitants use for Food There are also a few Camels Horses and small Cattel ¶ THe Inhabitants are hard-favor'd very brown and much tann'd The Constitution of the Inhabitants but the Women are of clearer Complexions They drive a great Trade in Negro-Land and Guzule so that for the most part they reside out of their own Countrey They plow their Ground with a single Camel and one Horse which manner of Tillage is us'd through all Numidia They are a Rustick People and know nothing of Letters onely Women educate their Children yet as soon as they are of any Growth they turn them to Plough and so farewell all their Female Scholarship Some learn to read others Spin and Card and the rest spend their time altogether in Idleness Most of the Inhabitants are of mean Estates the Richest of them possess onely a few Cattel They are under the Contribution of the Arabians call'd Udaya or Uled Vodey which reside in the Lybian Wilderness Ifran or Ufaran THe Countrey of Ifran or Ufaran Ifran hath in the most Southerly part of it the Wide-spreading Sus four Fortifi'd Towns distant from each other half a mile near a small River which in Summer dries up This Province abounds with Dates and hath some Copper-Mines The People are Mahumetans yet Civil and commonly well Habited They Trade much with the Portuguese in the Haven Guarlguessen The Trade of the Inhabitants with the Portuguese where they Barter their In-land Wares for Cloth Woollen and Linnen which they carry to Tombut and Gualata They keep Weekly Markets in all their Towns where Corn is always very dear They have amongst them a Judge or Civil Magistrate Their Government who hears and decides all Causes inflicting no more punishment on the greatest Criminals than Drubbings on their Feet Aka THe Land of Aka hath three strong Villages Aka lying one by another on the Desart of Numidia in the Borders of Lybia they were formerly very populous but afterwards by the Civil Wars within the Countrey were left desolate yet in process of time by the Mahumetan Priests composing dome stick Broils and seeking Peace they were re-peopled again and so restored to their former Condition This Countrey yields nothing but Dates and their onely business is to gather them THE KINGDOM OF DARA THe Kingdom or Territory of Dara The Territory of Dara or Darha so call'd from the famous River Dara which runs cross through the Countrey contains part of the antient Caesarian or Imperial Mauritania or as Cluverius will have it the whole Caesarian Mauritania and is one of the most excellent and noble Parts of Numidia ¶ ITs Northern Border is Mount Atlas Borders the West the Territory Gezule and Sus the East that of Sugulmesse in Numidia and the South the Desart of Lybia where the Zanaga's inhabit The extent in length Length from Mount Atlas to Zanaga is about six and fifty miles but in its breadth very narrow It hath many strong Towns Villages and Cities Forts and Castles which stand in order pleasantly seated along the Banks of the River but most of them built of Datewood which is weak and yielding Their most eminent City is Banisbick or Mukabah Banisbick Not far from thence Quiteva defended by a Fortification The next Sizerie commanding and commanded by a Castle Tagumadert Next Tagumadert or Tigumedes famous for the Birth of the first Xeriff Tenzeda that succeeded the Kings of Morocco and Fez. Tenzeda and Tragadel the greatest of these reckons four thousand Houses and above four hundred Jewish Families Tenzulin and is well fortifi'd with a strong Castle Tenzulin also a great Town six miles from Taraglet is strengthened on the North-West side with a Fort. Tameguerut Tameguerut with a Fort and likewise Temerguit another special City on the Confines of Gezule well fortifi'd and peopled with above two thousand Families besides a Suburb of two hundred Houses Near Lybia is a good Fortress call'd Tabernast and next that Assa The Castle Tabernast both built there by the Xerifs All these standing in order now flourish on the pleasant Banks of Dara There also you may see the Ruines of Tefut which hath been the Residence of their Princes now desolate ¶ THey have not much Land for Tillage The Nature of the Soyl. yet it yields them a plentiful Harvest if the Dara which we may call their Nile overflows their Ground in April which failing they expect no Harvest and though a good and seasonable Year produceth a rich Crop of Wheat and Barley yet it serves not the Inhabitants but they are forc'd to be supply'd by bartering their Dates from Fez and other Countreys The Daran Countrey also yields store of Indigo the Banks of the River for many miles are shaded with excellent Date-Trees but as these excell they have also a meaner sort which they give their Horses and Camels and also with the Stones well pounded or ground they feed their Goats which fattens them much and suddenly and yet makes them better replenish the Milk-Pale Their Horses are few and their Camels many The Countrey breeds peculiar Ostriches ¶ THe People are of a very dusky Complexion Their Complexion and few Whites amongst them which happen by their commixing so much with Blacks so that we may well call them Demi-Negroes The Women are comely modest and well-body'd Their Women and inclining to be fat which seems to them a Beauty those of best Quality are well attended by Negro-Slaves ¶ THeir common Dish which they account very wholesome Their Food and they much use is a mixture of grinded Dates and Barley which made up and boil'd in a body like a Pudding or Dumpling is to them very savory Pure Bread they seldom or never taste but at Festivals and Weddings They also eat Camels Flesh and Horses when they grow unfit for Service and the Ostrich serves them for Pullin and Wilde-Fowl ¶ THey are Subjects to the King of Morocco Their Government to whom they pay Annual Tribute and are govern'd by several Lieutenants or Provincial Magistrates which the King according to his pleasure puts in and removes Some Places are govern'd by Commissaries THE KINGDOM OF TAFILET AND TERRITORY OF ITATA THe Realm of Tafilet Tafilet Marmâ—l lib. 7. c. 28. Diego de Tâ—rres Hister de los. Xeriffs c. 103. so call'd from its Metropolis Tafilet scituated in a Sandy Soyl near Zahara and the Daran Countrey is well fortifi'd with a strong Wall and defended by a Castle and hath above two thousand Families extracted from the Africanian Brebees call'd Filelis And from Zahara near the City a great River leads to and cuts through Mount Atlas The Territory of
Bernardo de Menzos his Interpreter and Secretary The King's Apparel is very glorious and rich His Cloathing being for the most part Cloth of Gold or Silver with a long Velvet Mantle This King wears commonly a white Cap upon his Head He wears a white Cap. so do his Fidalgoes or Nobility in his Favour And this is indeed so eminent a token thereof that if the King be displeased with any of them he onely causes his Cap to be taken off from his Head For this white Cap is a Cognizance of Nobility or Knighthood here as in Europe every Order hath a peculiar Badge to distinguish it When the King goeth abroad with all his Nobles adorn'd with white Caps on their Heads When the King is desirous to have Taxes he lets his Cop blow off he sometimes puts on a Hat and at pleasure lays that aside and resumes his Cap which he then puts very loosely on upon set purpose that the Wind should blow it off the easier which according to design hapning his Fidalgoes run to take it up and bring it to the King again but the King as offended at the Disgrace will not receive the same but goeth home very much troubled the next day he sends two or three hundred Blacks abroad to gather in Taxes so punishing his whole Kingdom for the offence of the Wind in blowing off his Cap which he caused of set purpose He hath one Married Wife The Queen is call'd Mani-mombada which they call Mani-Mombada that is Queen all the rest Taxes for the Queen how rais'd being no small number are Concubines For this Wife a Yearly Tax is gathered through the whole Kingdom by them call'd Pintelso every House paying a Rate for their Beds viz. a Slave for every Spans breadth so that if it be three Spans broad they pay three Slaves The Queen hath her Lodgings in the Palace Her place of aboad apart with her Ladies of Honor which have little Courtship or Art to set them forth yet they go almost every night abroad to take their pleasure and to satisfie their wanton desires onely some stay according to their turns to wait upon the Queen who will her self if she finds a convenient opportunity and a Person that dares venture to come in the Night over the Straw Walls into the Court to her private Lodgings not be backward to receive their proffer'd Kindness But this she doth with great circumspection for if the King should hear of it it would endanger both their Lives The King on the contrary keeps as many Concubines as he pleases as well of the Ladies of Honor belonging to the Queen as of others without check but the Priests spare not to reprove him for it openly in their Preaching When the King dies his Relations put him into the Grave in a Sitting Posture to whom formerly a dozen young Maids leap'd out of free choice and were buried alive to serve him in the other Life as believing That he should not remain dead but go into that other World and live there These Maids were then so earnest and desirous of this Service to their deceased Prince that for eagerness to be first they kill'd one another And their Parents and Friends gather together all sorts of stately Clothes and put them into the Grave to the intent that when they arrive in that strange Countrey they may buy such things as they have occasion for therewith The Funeral of the King in stead of other Mourning is celebrated eight days together with continual Eating and Drinking and this kind of Mourning they call Malala and every Year after Solemnize it with an Anniversary-Meeting in the same manner This Custom is not only us'd for the King but also for the Nobility according to their Quality and continues to this day but by the progress of Christianity teaching better things they have laid aside totally the burying of People alive In the Succession to the Crown they observe no Order Inheritance of the Crown neither Legitimation nor Seniority taking place further than the Ruling Grandees please they according to the humor of barbarous Nations esteeming all alike Honorable For which reason the Nobles chuse one out of the King's Sons whether Legitimate or Illegitimate it matters not for whom they have the most respect or think the fittest or else perhaps sometimes sway'd by extravagant Fancies relinquish all the Children and give the Crown to a Brother or Nephew The Coronation of the King they Solemnize after this manner The manner of the King's Coronation All the Nobles and Portuguese assemble before the Palace in a four-square open Court built for that purpose of old encompass'd with a slight Stone Wall about five Yards high in the middle of which stands a great Velvet Chair and a Cushion with a stately Carpet spread before it and a Crown wrought of Gold Silk and Silver-Wyre laid thereon as also three Gold Armlets about the thickness of a Finger and a Velvet Purse wherein is the Pope's Bull or Letters of Confirmation to the new King The intended King after some time comes into this Congregation by invitation of the Nobless concern'd primarily in the Election where all things prepared there stands one up which in the nature of a Herald proclaims these words You that shall be King be no Thief neither covetous nor revengeful but be a friend of the Poor You shall bestow the Alms for the releasement of Prisoners or Slaves and help the Needy and be charitable to the Church and always endeavour to keep this Kingdom in Peace and Quietness and fully observe and keep the same without breach of League with your Brother the King of Portugal After this Speech ended the Musick begins to play with excellent Melody which having continued a convenient season the last two Fidalgo's go seemingly to seek him amongst the People the remaining part of them sitting upon the Ground These two in a short time find him they sought for and bringing him one by the right Arm and the other by the left place him upon the foremention'd Royal Chair and put the Crown upon his Head on his Arms the Gold Armlets and the usual black Cloth or Bayze-Cloak upon his Body then he lays his Hand upon a Mass-Book and the Evangelists which the Priest holds to him Clothed in a white Garment hung with white Tassels and the King swears to do and keep all that he hath been forewarned of by him the formention'd Herald After the ending of these Solemnities the twelve Noblemen and the King go to the Palace accompanied with all those that were present at the Coronation who cast Earth and Sand upon him for a Token of rejoycing and for an Admonition that though he be now King he shall be Dust and Ashes The King after his Crowning remains eight days in his Palace never going forth in which time all the Black Nobility none excepted and all the Portuguese come to visit and wish
full of winding Reaches by reason whereof from the Mouth to Motahoama is thirty Leagues Sailing whereas the direct way is but twenty In Sailing by it the opening can hardly be seen at the Sea by means of a black and woody Island lying right before it Several Islands discover themselves herein The Island Massander for about nine miles up it divides into two Arms which include an Island about four miles long and half a mile broad call'd Massander or Massandera This Island produces many sorts of Fruits especially Mandikoka which planted there grows extraordinary thick of which they make great quantities of Tharinka or Maiz also Mille three times a year besides Palm-Trees and a Fruit nam'd Gojaves Ten or twelve miles above this Motchiama lieth another intituled Motihiama three miles long and half a mile broad very low ground excepting two Mountains beset with all sorts of Plants and Herbs and Feeding there are many Goats Sheep Hogs and Hens Some years ago five or six Families of Portuguese liv'd here who had many Slaves and maintain'd themselves chiefly with Mandihoka Lucala The River Lucala by Pigafet call'd Luiola comes out of Amboille having its head near the rise of the River Danda and running South Westward till about six and twenty miles from the Sea joyning with Quansa and by that mixture loosing its name The small River Kalukala runs cross the Territory of Ilamba with such extraordinary Creeks and Meanders that there is hardly one of the two and forty Dominions wherein this Kingdom is divided that lieth above an hours walk from it Some Lakes appear at the corners of Quansa or Bengo the chiefest whereof may be seen in the Lordships of Quihailo Angolome and Chame Angola containeth divers inferior Ditions Territories of the Kingdom of Augola as Lovando Sinso Ilamba Ikollo Ensaka Massingan Embakka Kabamba every one of which comprehends several Provinces rul'd by particular Jovassens or Governors viz. Lovando contains nine and thirty Ilambas forty two Ikollo and Ensaka divers but uncertain Massingan twelve which some bring under Ilamba Kambamba sixty and Embakko sixty In Lovando The City Lovando Saint Paulo stands the City Lovando Saint Paulo on the rising of a Hill by the the Sea-Coast On the Northside of this appears another Mountain call'd Mora Saint Paulo somewhat higher than that of the City and so steep that its with much difficulty ascendable yet on the sides thereof the Jesuites have erected a Cloyster neighbour'd by three or four adjoyning houses LOANDAâ—â— S. PAULâ—â— This City was built by the Portuguese in the Year Fifteen hundred seventy eight when Paulus Dias de Nevais was sent thither to be the first Governor for them in this Countrey The City takes in a great compass of Ground being built with many fair Houses Churches and Cloysters but neither Wall'd nor Fortifi'd Some Forts are raised at the Water-side for the securing of the Haven Before the subduing of it by the Netherlanders in the Year Sixteen hundred forty one the Portuguese had six Churches there two greater one call'd Saint Maria de la Conception and the other Corpo Santo and four lesser one for the Jesuits nam'd Saint Antonio one for the Blacks stil'd Saint Gosce one Cloyster and Church for the Franciscans and an Alms-house with a Church intituled Misericordia Over this Alms-house besides the Receptions for Poor are four and twenty Chambers for the Governor and other Officers viz. a Steward a Doctor a Barber an Apothecary and others This House hath some Revenues of Land which being but mean hath been augmented by a Rate upon Ships for every Ship which puts in there must pay two Rees to the Treasurers of this House Sinso is the Countrey situate to the North of Lovando Sante Paulo up the River Bengo Ilamba or Elvama a large Tract of Land above an hundred Miles in length Ilamba beginning South-East and East-South-East from the Territory of Ikollo and spreading from the River Bengo to Quansa and from Kalumba to Massinga still growing wider the further you go and every where so well Peopled that in two or three Miles distance is a Village which proceeds from the Negroes separating themselves from each other by peculiar Marks So that the whole stands divided into two and forty Dominions The first of these neighbouring Ikollo is call'd Chonso Dominions of the Territory of Ilamba and afterwards the rest lie one behind another according to their Order viz. Namboa Quolomba Bamba Golungo Makea Kombi Quitendel Etombe Quitalla Kambkaita Andalladongo Quiambatta Nambaquiajamba Kangola Quihaito Chombe Angolome Gumbia Massingan or Massagan Kaoulo Kahango Karanga-Pase Guenka-Atombe Hiangonga Quilambe Quapanga Kabanga Kabuto Kandalla Gongue Kahonda Kunangonga Mossunguapose Kamanga Kalunga Bagolunge Quibilacapose Koslakase Nambua Kallahanga Nimenesolo These are the chiefest which make up Ilamba and wherein may be rais'd ten or twelve thousand Fighting Men arm'd with Bowes and Arrows The Sovasen maintain the Boundaries so exactly that never any Complaint is heard of one wronging or incroaching upon another unless it be in open Wars and then the Conquerer becomes wholly Master of his Enemies Countrey This Territory can shew neither Artificial Forts or Natural Fastnesses of Woods for a Defence against their Enemies some little Groves may be seen upon Hills but so inconsiderable as hardly worth mentioning Yet these People cannot easily be conquer'd because they use such good Discipline shooting their Arrows either lying upon the ground or kneeling From Ilamba North-west and West-north-west lies Ikollo Ikollo Ensaka takes beginning six or seven Miles Eastward of Lovando Saint Paulo Ensaka and situate between the two Rivers Quansa and Bengo 'T is but a small Jurisdiction and may be travell'd through in half a day Here in some few Places the Inhabitants Till their Ground Two or three Miles in the Countrey on the Hills stands a Wood enclosed about with Bushes and Thorns to the great accommodation and strengthening of the whole For if the Inhabitants should retire thither it were impossible to force them out save onely for want of Water there being none but what the Rivers Quansa and Bengo bring thither Nine Miles Eastwards Massingan and above the Island of Motchiama in the Province of Missingan or Massagan stands a small Town of the same Name where the Portuguese have a Fort erected between Quansa and Sunda the last of which environs it on the North as the former on the South And about the distance of two hours walk intermingle their Streams from which Conjunction the Town derives its Appellation Massingan signifying A mixture of Waters It was at first an open but pretty large Village but since augmented with many fair Stone-Houses whereby at length 't is become a City The first Portuguese Governor of Angola in the Year Fifteen hundred seventy eight by command of his Master erected this City of Lovando Saint Paulo and also the Fort there when by the help of the Congeses he
they relate the manner of the Fall with subtilty and treachery went to Adam and said Why eat ye not of all these good Fruits Why do you not drink of that good Wine and Milk and taste this delicious Honey and Oil Whereupon Adam answer'd That God had forbidden him which he durst not disobey The Devil thus driven away staid about two hours then came again to Adam and said to him That he came from God to give him leave to eat of all that he had a mind to Adam thus tempted to taste thereof eat and satisfi'd himself to the full but after the digestion of the Food he had a provocation and desire to ease himself which of necessity he must do in Paradise whereupon instantly the Devil went and complain'd to God against Adam's bewraying of his Eden so that God for that cause drave him out of Paradise and sent him into the Countrey where he gat a swelling in the Calf of his Leg which continu'd six Moneths and when the swelling brake there came forth a young Maid whereupon he sent the Angel Gabriel to God to ask what he should do with that Maid and the Angel return'd answer That he should bring her up and when she came to years of maturity should Marry her which he did and nam'd her Rabouna that is Eve After the current of some time she lay In of two Sons which being grown to a man-like stature the Devil who hath a thousand Tricks betray'd them in this manner He gave them an Assagay or Javelin in their hands arm'd with Iron at both ends and rais'd a quarrel betwixt them two so that they both took hold of the Assagays and each took one end to pull it out of the others hands but the Irons not fast Rivetted by hard pulling came off where each of them now having one they stuck one another in the Belly and both died of their Wounds These two Brothers were Cain and Abel They add moreover That Adam had many Children which multiply'd exceedingly but because Men were evil and would no more know God he sent a Floud or Deluge upon the Earth having before commanded Noah to build a great Ship to save himself with all his Friends and Family Women and Children and many Beasts a Male and Female of every sort then God overwhelm'd presently the whole face of the Earth and all the remainder of Beasts except four Mountains that is to say the Mountain Zaballicaf in the North Zaballicatoure in the South Zaballiraf in the West and Zaballibazani in the East whereupon nevertheless none could preserve their lives After the ending of the Floud Noah came out of his Ship went to dwell at Jerusalem and came from thence to Mecha God say they gave four sorts of Writings to Noah who embraced the Law The first call'd Alifurcan or Alcaron was for Noah The second Soratsi for Moses The third Zonboura for David And the fourth Alindzini for Christ whom they call Rahitsa They say also That Jesus Christ was sent by God into the world without being begotten by any Man but Born by the Virgin Mary which brought him forth without pain and remain'd a Virgin calling her Ramariamia That Christ was a Man and God That he was Crucifi'd by the Jews but that God did not permit that he should die but would have the Body of a Malefactor found in his place They observe the Saturday like the Jews and not the Friday like the Mahumetans If they would take in hand a Journey or matter of consequence they take council of their Squilles that is of Geomancy or Black-Art or rather of Auli which they carry about with them in small Boxes They offer great Sacrifices of Beasts call'd Mitaha at the entrance upon new Built Houses at the Harvest of their Fruits of the Field their Wives being with Child at the lusty growing of their Plants the Burial of their Dead and Marriage Fast-Days by them call'd Ramahana or Miafauthe and by the Turks Ramedan which they observe with great Ceremony but not in any set Moneths but now in one and then in another according to the position and order of the year They Circumcise their Children with great Formality commonly in May Circumcision when it is Fridays Year for by the days of the Week they reckon their Years especially the People of Anossy and Matatane for all the other Circumcise at all times To the performance whereof come all the Friends in Consanguinity and Alliance of the Child to the Circumcision into the Town to which the Parents bring Wine and present an Ox or Heifer for every Infant but poor people less The Men play and exercise with Assagays or Lances among which the Drums whom they stile Ompivango beat the Azontake or Drums made of a hollowed Trunk of a Tree cover'd over with two Skins the one of an Ox and the other of a Goat upon which they Tabor at one end with a Stick and at the other with their Hand the Female Relations Dance round about those who exercise with Assagays and use divers Gestures and strange Postures These Pranks finish'd all the young Company Dance and Sing again then the Master of the Town who must celebrate the Circumcision beginning to drink of the Wine of Honey or Meath follow to guzzle as much as possible for they that Drunk most are the greatest honor to the Assembly In the Evening Oxen are kill'd to eat in the day sometimes to the number of two hundred The next Morning the Feast-day every one remains quiet but the Fathers and Mothers sometime make their Children ready in the mean time and the Mothers sleep that night with their Children in the Lapa that is the Church being a place erected a Moneth before with divers Ceremonies by the Fathers and Uncles of the Children to be Circumcised No Father may approach the Mother that night nor know any woman and no Woman Maid or Man who have used incontinency must dare to joyn himself in person at the Circumcision for they are possess'd with this Superstitious Opinion that then the blood of the Fore-skin of the Child will not stench but the Child die Neither may any person present wear any red thing on his body at that time or if they do it must be very close from sight Early at break of Day Men Women Maids and all others Bathe themselves and beating their Drums at Sun-rise chop up some short Prayers and the Circumciser himself utters aloud Salama Zahanhare Zahomissabots Anauhanau Nambouatsitangho amini Tombuc Zahomitoulou bouzonhamiuau c. Which is Be thou Magnified O my God I draw near with my Prayers to thee thou hast Created our Hands and our Feet I beseech thee forgiveness of our Sins I kneel down before thee I do Circumcise these Children this day c. Afterwards they bring the Children into the Lapa adorn'd and dress'd with Corals and Bracelets Pretious Stones and other Ornaments about their Necks Here they stay till the tenth