intreated them most barbarously as also those Abassins whom they had conuerted He likewise was afterwards ouerthrowne in battaile by the Turkes who stripped Ouiedo and his companions of all things that they had Whereupon they grew into such pouertie and miserie as all helpe failing them they were enforced to get their liuing with the plough and spade till they all died one after another This Ethiopian Christianitie is brought at this day to an hard point by the inuasions of the Turkes and Mores as is before declared Notwithstanding their religious men affirme that they haue prophesies of the comming of a Christian nation to their Ports from farre countries with whom they shall go to the destruction of the Mores and these they hold to bee Portugals They haue farther certaine presagements of Saint Sinoda who was an Egyptain Hermite of the ruine of Meca the recouerie of the holy sepulcher and the taking of Egypt and Cairo by the Abassins vnited with the Latines Of the Christians of the isle of Socotera VIcinitie of place and conformitie of customes inuite me to crosse the sea and to visite the Christians of Socotera This island is sixtie miles long and fiue and twentie in bredth It is situate ouer against the Red sea The people thereof receiued the faith from Saint Thomas the Apostle for they affirme that heere he suffred shipwracke and that of the broken and battered ship he built a church which is as yet extant They imitate for the most part the rites customes and fashions of the Abassins but with great ignorance and errour for being separated from all commerce with the Christians of these parts they remaine depriued of that spirituall helpe which the westerne church by communication might impart vnto them They retaine circumcision and some other Moisaicall ceremonies Also they pray for the dead and obserue ordinarie fasts hauing prefixed howers for praier and bearing great reuerence to their religion in honour whereof they build chappels wherein assembling togither with an high and loude voice they make supplications and praiers in the Hebrew toong But their farre distance as I said from these parts of Christendome the sterilitie of the island and the pouertie of the people are occasions that the little light of truth which they haue is in a manner quite eclipsed by multitudes of errors Vnto other things may be added the tyrannie of the king of Fartac a Mahumetan who subdued them about the yeere of our Lord 1482. and partly by dominion partly by affinitie and kinred and partly also by conuersation brought in amongst them the deadly poison of Mahumet From this seruitude they were deliuered by Tristan d' Acunna one of the king of Portugals captaines sixe and twentie yeeres after they fell into the same And for their better securitie he repaired the fortresse leauing therein a Portugall garrison But bicause the charges farre surmounted any benefite that came of the island not long after the said fortresse was ruinated and the island abandoned by the Portugals Iohn the third king of Portugall had a great desire to assist and free them from the tyrannie of the Turkes whereunto after the taking of Aden they were subiect But for feare of prouoking the great Turke or giuing him occasion to disturbe and molest those seas with his fleetes as also for the dispatching of other affaires he had in hand he neuer went about that enterprise Of the Christians of Nubia FRantis Aluarez in his Aethiopicke relation writeth that he being at the court of Prete Ianni there arriued certaine ambassadors frō Nubia to make 〈◊〉 vnto that prince for some priests and ministers of the Gospell and sacraments by whom they might be instructed in the Christian faith But Prete Ianni answered them that he had not enough for his owne countrey whereupon they returned home very discōtent so that hauing no helpe from the Christians on the otherside being daily sollicited by the Mahumetans vpon whom they border on many sides it is thought that at this present they remaine in a manner without any religion at all Notwithstanding at this day there are more then an hundred and fiftie churches standing with diuers other notes and signes of Christianitie Their language partaketh much with the Egyptain and no lesse with the Chaldean and Arabick Of the Christians in the king dome of Congo HItherto we haue described that little which remaineth of the ancient Christianity of Africk It now resteth that we giue some notice of that which hath beene brought in of late Congo is a kingdome about the bignes of France situate as is before said beyond the equinoctiall betweene Cabo da Catherina and Bahia das vacas It was conuerted to Christian religion by the meanes of Don Iohn the second king of Portugal in manner following Don Diego Cano a captaine of that king by his commission coasting along Africa after a great nauigation arriued at length in the great riuer of Zaire and 〈◊〉 to saile vp into it he discouered along the banks thereof many townes where he found much more affability in the inhabitants then in those of other countries which before he had discouered And that he might be able to giue the more faithfull aduertisement thereof to his king his hart moued him to go to the court of that kingdome Whither bein̄g come and courteously brought to the kings presence he shewed them the vanity of their Idolatry the high reuerence of christian faith And he found in that Prince so good a disposition as returning into Portugal besides an ambassador he was permitted to carry with him certaine youths of noble parentage to the end they might learne the Christian doctrine and be well instructed therein and being baptized also might afterwards be sent back with Portugall priests to preache the gospel and to plant the Christian faith in that kingdome These youthes remained in Portugal two yeeres and were there liberally entertained and with all diligence instructed in matters of religion and were at length with great solemnity baptized When they came to riper yeeres king Iohn sent them backe againe into their owne countrey with an honorable ambassage in whose company went for teachers and instructers of that nation three Dominick-Fryers reputed for men of exquisit learning and holy life Being arriued in Congo they first cōuerted Mani-Sogno the kings vncle with one of his sonnes After that ensued the baptisme of the king and Queene for which cause in short time there was a goodly Church erected vnder the name and title of Santa Cruz. And in the meane while there were infinit Idols burnt The king was called Iohn the Queene Leonora and his eldest sonne Alonso This Alonso was a singular good man who not being satisfied in his owne conuersion laboured also with a kind of Apostolicall zeale for the conuersion of his subiects But let no man thinke that the planting of religion can euer passe without some labour and trouble These Dominick-Fryers besides the intemperature of
the aire and vnusuall heat which consumed them were also euilly entreated by the Moci-Congi For although they shewed themselues docible and tractable enough while they were instructed onely about ceremonies and diuine mysteries because they thought that the higher those matters were aboue humaine capacity the more they sorted and were agreable to the maiestie of God neuerthelesse when they began to entreate seriously of Temperance continence restitution of other mens goods forgiuing of iniuries and other heades of Christian pietie they found not onely great hinderance and difficultie but euen plaine resistance and opposition The king himselfe who had from the beginning shewed notable zeale was now somewhat cooled who because he was loth to abandon his soothsaiers and fortune tellers but aboue all the multitude of his concubines this being a generall difficultie among the Barbarians would by no meanes giue eare vnto the Preachers Also the women who were now reiected one after another not enduring so suddenly to be banished from their husbandes brought the court and roiall citie of Saint Saluador into a great vproare Paulo Aquitino second sonne to the king put tow to this fire who would by no meanes be baptized for which cause there grew great enmity betwixt him and Alonso his elder brother who with all his power furthered the proceedings and maintained the grouth of the Christian religion During these troubles the old king died and the two brothers fought a battell which had this successe that Alonso the true heire with sixe and thirtie soldiers calling vpon the name of Iesus discomfited the huge armie of his heathenish brother who was himselfe also taken aliue and died prisoner in this his rebellion God fauoured Alonso in this warre with manifest miracles For first they affirme that being readie to enter into battaile he saw a light so cleere and resplendent that he and his companie which beheld it remained for a good while with their eies declined and their mindes so full and replenished with ioy and a kind of tender affection that cannot easily be expressed And then lifting vp their eies vnto heauen they sawe fiue shining swords which the king tooke afterwards for his armes and his successors vse the same at this day Hauing obteined this victorie he assembled all his nobles and streightly enioined them to bring all the idols of his countrey to an appointed place and so vpon an high hill he caused them all to be burned This Alonso raigned prosperously for fiftie yeeres togither in which space he exceedingly furthered by authoritie and example as also by preaching and doctrine the new-planted Christianitie Neither did Don Emanuell the King of Portugall giue ouer this enterprise for he sent from thence to Congo twelue of those Fryers which the Portugals call Azzurri of whom Fryer Iohn Mariano was head with architects and smiths for the building and seruice of Churches and with rich furniture for the same After king Alonso succeeded Don Pedro his sonne in whose time there was a Bishop appointed ouer the isle of Saint Thomas who had also committed vnto him the administration of Congo Where at the citie of Saint Saluador was instituted a colledge of eight and twentie Canons in the Church of Santa Cruz. The second bishop was of the bloud roiall of Congo who trauailed to Rome and died in his returne homeward Don Francisco succeeded Don Pedro who continued but a small space Don Diego his neere kinsman was after his decease aduanced to the crowne In whose time Iohn the third king of Portugall vnderstanding that neither the king himselfe cared greatly for religion and that the merchants and priests of Europe furthered not but rather with their bad life scandalized the people new conuerted he sent thither fower Iesuits to renew and reestablish matters of religion These men arriuing first at the isle of Saint Thomas and then at Congo were courteously receiued by the king and presently going about the busines they came for one of them tooke vpon him to teach sixe hundred yoong children the principles of christian religion and the other dispersed themselues ouer the whole countrie to preach But all of them one after another falling into tedious and long diseases they were enforced to returne into Europe At this time there was appointed ouer Congo a third bishop of the Portugall nation who through the contumacie of the Canons and clergie found trouble enough In the meane while Don Diego dying there arose great tumults touching the succession by meanes whereof all the Portugals in a manner that were in Saint Saluador except priests were slaine In the end Henrie brother to Don Diego obteined the crowne and after him for he quicklie died in the warres of the Anzichi Don Aluaro his son in law This man reconciled vnto himselfe the Portugall nation caused all the religious and lay sort dispersed heere and there throughout the kingdome to be gathered togither and wrote for his discharge to the king and to the Bishop of Saint Thomas The bishop hauing perused the letters passed himselfe into Congo and giuing some order for the discipline of the clergie he returned to Saint Thomas where hee ended his daies It so fell out that what for the absence and what for the want of Bishoppes the progression of religion was much hindred For one Don Francisco a man for bloud and wealth of no small authoritie began freely to say that it was a vaine thing to cleaue to one wife onely and afterwardes in the end he fell altogither from the faith and was an occasion that the king grew woonderfully cold They affirme that this Francisco dying and being buried in the church of Santa Cruz the diuels vncouered a part of that churches roofe and with terrible noise drew his dead carcase out of the tombe and carried it quite away a matter that made the king exceedingly amazed but yet another accident that ensued withall strooke him neerer to the hart For the Giacchi leauing their owne habitations entred like Locusts into the kingdome of Congo and comming to battaile against Don Aluaro the king put him to flight who not being secure in the head citie abandoned his kingdome and togither with the Portugall priests and his owne princes retired himselfe vnto an island of the riuer Zaire called The isle of horses Thus seeing himselfe brought to such extremitie for besides the losse of his kingdome his people died of famine and miserie and for maintenance of life sold themselues one to another and to the Portugals also at a base price for reparation of his state and religion he had recourse to Don Sebastian king of Portugall and obteined of him sixe hundred soldiers by whose valour he draue his enimies out of the kingdome and within a yeere and an halfe reestablished himselfe in his throne In his time Antonio di Glioun à Spaniard was made bishop of Saint Thomas who after much molestation procured him by the captaine of that island went at
camels backs At this towne of Suez they haue no fresh water but all their water is brought them from a place sixe miles distant vpon camels backs being notwithstanding brackish and bitter The western shore of the Red sea is inhabited with people called in old time Troglodytae which at this present do all of them yeelde obedience to the great Turke who considering that the fleets of the Portugales entered very often into the Red sea and were there receiued by the subiects of Prete Gianni and did him great domage hath thereupon taken occasion not onely to conquer the Troglodytae but also to wast and subdue a great part of Barnagasso the most Northerlie prouince of the said Prete So that the audacious attempts of the Portugales in those partes haue bred two most dangerous and bad effects the one is that the Arabians haue most strongly fortified all their sea-townes which before lay naked and without fortification the other for that the Turke also hath bin occasioned thereby to make warre against the Prete Wherefore they ought not to haue vndertaken any such enterprise but with full resolution and sufficient forces to accomplish the same for lesser attempts serue to no other end but onely to rouze and arme the enimie which was before secure and quiet Neither is it heere to be omitted that in the foresaide sea a man can saile in no ships nor barks but only those of the great Turke or at least with his licence paying vnto him for tribute a good part of the fraight For this purpose he hath certaine Magazines or store-houses of timber which is brought partly from the gulfe of Satalia and partly from Nicomedia and other places vpon the Euxin sea vnto Rosetto and Alexandria from whence it is afterward transported to Cairo and thence to Suez This sea is called the Red sea not in regard that the waters thereofbe all red but as some thinke from certaine red rushes which growe vpon the shore and as others are of opinion from a kinde of red earth which in sundry places it hath at the bottome which earth dieth not the very substance of the water red but by transparence causeth it especially neere the shore to appeere of that colour Africa Troglodytica THat sandie barren and desert part of Africa which lieth betweene Nilus and the Red sea especially to the south of the tropike was in old times inhabited by the Troglodytae a people so called bicause of their dwelling in caues vnder the ground Along this westerne coast of the Red sea runneth a ridge of mountaines which being an occasion that the inland riuers can not fall into the saide sea they are forced to discharge themselues into Nilus The foresaide mountaines and sea coast are now inhabited by Mahumetans being partly Arabians and partly Turkes which not many yeeres ago haue attempted to saile that sea and to inuade the regions adioining The naturall inhabitants are a rude barbarous people and very poore and beggerly The chiefe places of habitation are Corondol a speciall good porte Alcosser a place well knowne bicause that neere vnto it the saide mountaines open themselues and giue passage to the bringing in of the fruits and commodities of Abassia Suachen esteemed one of the principall ports in all the streights and being made by an island Here resideth the Bassa of the great Turke which is called the gouernour of Abassia with three thousand soldiers or thereabout Next followeth Ercoco the onely hauen towne of the Prete lying ouer against the little isle of Mazua and heere the mountaines make an other opening or passage for transporting of victuals out of the lande of the saide Prete Ianni From hence almost to the very entrance of the Red sea the coast is at this present vninhabited forlorne and desert Likewise from Suachen to Mazua is a continuall woode the trees whereof are but of small woorth Iust within the saide entrance standeth the towne and port of Vela vnder the iurisdiction of the king of Dancali a Moore Vpon all this west shore of the Red sea as likewise vpon the contrary east shore scarcitie of water is the cause why there are so fewe and so small places of habitation and the people runne and flocke togither where they may finde any pit or fountaine of water Some curious reader might here expect because I haue nowe passed so neere the frontiers of Egypt that I should make an exact description of that most famous and fruitefull prouince and likewise of the great city of Alcair and of the inundation and decrease of Nilus all which because they are expressed in most orient liuelie colours by our author Iohn Leo I should shew my selfe both iniurious to him and tedious to all iudiciall readers in anticipating and forestalling that before the beginning of his booke which he so neere the end doth in such large and particular wise intreate of Now therefore let vs proceed to the vpper or inner Ethiopia beginning with the first and most northerly prouince thereof called Nubia Nubia PAssing therefore westward from the Island of Siene you enter into the prouince of Nubia bordering on the west vpon Gaoga eastward vpon the riuer Nilus towards the North vpon Egypt and southward vpon the desert of Goran The inhabitants thereof called by Strabo 〈◊〉 liue at this present as Francisco Aluarez reporteth a most miserable and wretched kinde of life for hauing lost the sinceritie and light of the gospel they do embrace infinite corruptions of the Iewish and Mahumetan religions At the same time when the foresaid Aluarez was in Abassia there came certaine messengers out of Nubia to make suit vnto the Prete that he would send them priests and such persons as might preach and administer the sacraments vnto them But he returned answere that he coulde not in regard of the scarcitie of great cler-giemen in his dominions The said messengers reported that the Nubians had sent often to Rome for a bishop but being afterward by the inuasions of the Moores and the calamitie of warre cut short of that assistance they fell for want of teachers and ministers into extreme ignorance of Christian religion and by little and little were infected with the impious and abominable sects of the Iewes and Mahumetans Some Portugals trauailing to those parts sawe many churches destroied by the handes of the Arabians and in some places the pictures of saints painted vpon the wals They are gouerned by women and call their Queene Gaua Their principall citie called Dangala and consisting of about ten thousand housholds is a place of great traffike bicause it is so neere vnto Egypt and the riuer Nilus All their other habitations are villages and base cottages Their houses are built of claie and couered with strawe The chiefe commodities of this region are rice stone-sugar sanders iuorie for they take many elephants as likewise abundance of ciuet and golde in great plentie The countrey is for the most part sandie howbeit there
inheritance Canons but priests sonnes haue no such priuilege vnlesse they be ordained by the Abuna They pay no tithes to any churches but the clergie are maintained by great possessions belonging to their churches and monasteries Also when any priest is cited he is conuented before a secular iudge Whereas I saide they sit not in their churches it is to bee vnderstoode that alwaies without the church doore stande a great number of woodden crutches such as lame men vse to goe vpon where euery man taketh his owne and leaneth thereupon all the time of their diuine seruice All their books which they haue in great numbers are written in parchment for paper they haue none and the language wherein they are written named Tigia is all one with the Abassin language but so it was called from the name of the first towne in all that empire which was conuerted to the Christian religion All their churches haue two curtaines one about their great altar with belles within which curtaine none may enter but onely priests also they haue another curtaine stretching through the midst of their church and within that may no man come but such as haue taken holy orders insomuch that many gentlemen and honorable persons take orders vpon them onely that they may haue accesse into their churches The greater part of their monasteries are built vpon high mountaines or in some deepe valley they haue great reuenues and iurisdictions and in many of them they eate no flesh all the yeere long Neither do they spende any store of fish bicause they know not how to take it Vpon the wals of all their churches are painted the pictures of Christ of the blessed virgine Marie of the apostles prophets and angels and in euery one the picture of Saint George a horseback They haue no Roodes neither will they suffer Christ crucified to be painted bicause they say they are not woorthy to behold him in that passion All their priests friers and noblemen continually carrie crosses in their hands but the meaner sort of people carrie them about their neckes Their mooueable feasts namely Easter the feast of Ascension Whitsontide they obserue at the verie same daies and times that we do Likewise as concerning the feasts of Christmas the Circumcision the Epiphanie and other the feasts of the saints they agree whollie with vs though in some other things they varie They haue great store of leprous persons who are not put apart from the rest of the people but liue in company with them and many there are who for charitie and deuotions sake do wash them and heale their wounds They haue a kinde of trumpets but not of the best and likewise certaine drums of brasse which are brought from Cairo and of woode also couered with leather at both endes and cimbals like vnto ours and certaine great basons whereon they make a noise There are flutes in like sort and a kinde of square instruments with strings not much vnlike to an harpe which they call Dauid Mozan that is to say the harpe of Dauid and with these harpes they sounde before the Prete but some what rudely Their horses of the countrey-breed are in number infinite but such small hackney-iades that they doe them little seruice howbeit those that are brought out of Arabia and Egypt are most excellent and beautifull horses and the great horse-masters also in Abassia haue certaine breeds or races of them which being new foled they suffer not to sucke the damme aboue three daies if they be such as they meane to backe betimes but separating them from their dammes they suckle them with kine and by that meanes they prooue most sightly and gallant horses Hitherto Aluarez Thus much I hope may suffice to haue bin spoken concerning the vpper or Inner Ethiopia which containeth the empire of Prete Ianni now sithens we are so far proceeded let vs take also a cursory and briefe surueie of the lower or extreme Ethiopia extending it selfe in forme of a speares point or a wedge as far as thirtie fiue degrees of southerly latitude Of the lower or extreme Ethiopia THis parte of Africa being vtterly vnknowne to Ptolemey and all the ancient writers but in these later times throughly discouered by the Portugales especially along the coast beginneth to the Northwest about the great riuer of Zaire not far from the Equinoctial from whence stretching southward to thirtie fiue degrees and then Northward along the sea-coast on the backside of Africa as far as the very mouth or enterance of the Arabian gulfe it limiteth the south and east frontiers of the Abassin Empire last before described In this part also are many particulars very memorable as namely besides sundry great empires kingdomes The famous mountaines of the moon the mightie riuers of Magnice Cuama and Coauo springing out of the lake Zembre the renowmed cape of good hope and other matters whereof we will intreate in their due places This portion of Africa is diuided into sixe principall partes namely The land of Aian the land of Zanguebar the empire of Mohenemugi the empire of Monomotapa the region of Cafraria the kingdome of Congo Aian the first generall part of Ethiopia the lower THe land of Aian is accounted by the Arabians to be that region which lyeth betweene the narrow entrance into the Red sea and the riuer of Quilimanci being vpon the sea-coast for the most part inhabited by the said Arabians but the inland-partes thereof are peopled with a black nation which are Idolaters It comprehendeth two kingdomes Adel and Adea Adel is a very large kingdome and extendeth from the mouth of the Arabian gulfe to the cape of Guardafu called of olde by Ptolemey Aromata promontorium South and west it bordereth vpon the dominions of Prete Ianni about the kingdome of Fatigar The king of this countrie being a Moore is accounted amongst the Mahumetans a most holy man and very much reuerenced by them because he wageth continuall war with the Christians taking captiue many of the Abassins and sending them to the great Turke and the princes of Arabia of whome he receiueth greate ayde for the maintenance of his warres both of horse and foote The people of Adel are of the colour of an oliue being very warlike notwithstanding that the greatest part of them want weapons Their principall city is called Anar as some are of opinion Vnto this kingdome is subiect the citie of Zeila inhabited by Mooes situate on a sandie and low soile which some suppose to be built in the very same place without the enterance of the Red sea where Ptolemey placed the ancient mart-towne of Aualites This citie is a place of great traffike for hither they bring out of India cloth elephants teeth frankincense pepper golde and other rich merchandize The territorie adioining yeeldeth abundance of honie waxe and great quantitie of oile which they make not of oliues but of a kinde of daintie plums it affourdeth likewise such
his streames into the said sea It containeth most beautifull houses and palaces built vpon the shore of Nilus and a faire market-place enuironed on all sides with shops of merchants and artizans with a stately and sumptuous temple also hauing some gates towards the market-place and others toward Nilus and certaine commodious staires to descend into the same riuer Neere vnto the temple there is a certaine harbour for the safetie of ships and barks of burthen that carrie wares vnto Cairo for the citie being vnwalled resembleth a village rather then a citie About this citie stand diuers cottages wherein they vse to thrash rice with certaine wooden instruments to make ready each moneth three thousand bushels thereof A little farther from this citie there is a place like vnto a village wherein great store of hackney-mules and asses are kept for trauellers to ride vpon vnto Alexandria neither neede the trauellers to guide the saide hackneyes but to let them run their ordinarie course for they will goe directly to the same house or inne where they ought to be left and their pace is so good that they will from sunne-rising to sunne-set carrie a man fortie miles they trauell alwaies so neere the sea-shore that sometimes the waues thereof beat vpon the hackneyes feete Neere vnto this citie are many fields of dates and grounds which yeeld aboundance of rice The inhabitants are of a cheerefull disposition and courteous to strangers especially to such as loue to spend their time in iollitie and disport Here is a stately bath-stoue also hauing fountaines both of cold and hot water belonging thereunto the like whereof for stately and commodious building is not to be found in all Egypt besides I my selfe was in this citie when Selim the great Turke returned this way from Alexandria who with his priuate and familiar friends beholding the said bath-stoue seemed to take great delight and contentment therein Of the citie called Anthius THis citie was built vpon the easterne banke of Nilus by the Romans as many Latin inscriptions engrauen in marble and remaining til this present do beare sufficient record It is a beautifull and well-gouerned citie and is furnished with men of all kinde of trades and occupations The fields adiacent abound with great plentie of rice corne and dates The inhabitants are of a cheerefull and gentle disposition and gaine much by rice which they transport vnto Cairo Of the citie of Barnabal THis citie was founded at the same time when the Christian religion began to take place in Egypt vpon the easterne banke of Nilus in a most pleasant and fruitfull place Here is such abundance of rice that in the citie there are more then fower hundred houses for the thrashing and trimming thereof But they that impose this taske vpon the inhabitants are men of forren countries and especially of Barbarie which are so lasciuiously and riotously giuen that almost all the harlots of Egypt resort hither vnto them who shaue off their haires to the very bones without any cizzers or rasors Of the citie of Thebe BY whom this ancient citie of Thebe standing vpon the westerne banke of Nilus should be built our African chroniclers are of sundry opinions Some affirme it to be built by the Egyptians some by the Romans and others by the Grecians because there are as yet to be seene most ancient monuments partly in Latine partly in Greeke and partly in Egyptian characters Howbeit at this present it containeth but three hundred families in all being most of them very stately and sumptuously built It aboundeth with corne rice and sugar and with certaine fruits of a most excellent taste called Muse. It is also furnished with great store of merchants and artificers but the most part of the inhabitants are husbandmen and if a man walke the streetes in the day-time he shall see none but trim and beautifull women The territorie adiacent aboundeth with date-trees which grow so thicke that a man cannot see the citie till he approcheth nigh vnto the walles Here grow likewise store of grapes figs and peaches which are carried in great plentie vnto Cairo Without the citie there are many ancient monuments as namely pillers inscriptions and walles of a great thicknes built of excellent stone and such a number of ruinous places that this citie seemeth in times past to haue beene very large Of the citie of Fuoa THis citie being distant about 45. miles southward from Rosetto was built by the Egyptians on the side of Nilus next vnto Asia The streetes there of are narrow being otherwise a well gouerned and populous citie and abounding with all necessarie commodities Heere are likewise very faire shops of merchants and artificers albeit the inhabitants are much addicted vnto their ease and pleasure The women of this towne liue in so great libertie that they may go whither they will all the day-time returning home at night without any controlement of their husbands The fieldes adiacent abounde greatly with dates and neere vnto them there is a certaine plaine which is very apt for sugar and corne howbeit the sugar canes there bring not foorth perfect sugar but in steede thereof a certaine kinde of honie like sope which they vse throughout all Egypt because there is but little other hony in the whole countrey Of Gezirat Eddeheb that is to say the golden Isle OVer against the foresaid city the riuer of Nilus maketh an Isle which being situate on an high place bringeth forth all kinde of fruitefull trees except Oliues Vpon this Island are many palaces and beautifull buildings which cannot be seene through the thicke and shadie woods The soile of this Island being apt for sugar and rice is manured by most of the inhabitants but the residue are imploied about carrying of their merchandize vnto Cairo Of the citie of Mechella THis citie builte by the Mahumetans in my time vpon the easterne shore of Nilus and enuironed with a lowe wall containeth great store of inhabitants the most part of whom being either weauers or husbandmen are voide of all curtesie and ciuilitie They bring vp great store of geese which they sell at Cairo and their fields bring foorth plentie of corne and flaxe Of the citie of Derotte WHen Egypt was subiect to the Romaine empire this towne was built also vpon the easterne banke of Nilus which as it is very populous so is it adorned with stately buildings and large streets hauing merchants shops on either side of them They haue a most beautifull temple and the citizens are exceeding rich for their grounde yeeldeth such abundance of sugar that they pay yeerely vnto the Soldan an hundred thousande peeces of golde called in their language Saraffi for their libertie of making and refining thereof In this citie standeth a certaine great house like 〈◊〉 a castle wherein are their presses and caldrons for the boiling and preparing of their sugar Neither did I euer in all my life see so many workemen emploied about
also to embrace it In times past Ethiopia was gouerned by Queenes onely Whereupon we reade in the history of the old testament that the Queene of the south came to King Salomon from Saba to heare his admirable wisedome about the yeere of the world 2954. The name of this Queen as the Ethiopians report was Maqueda who from the head-city of Ethiopia called Saba which like an Isle is enuironed on all sides by the riuer Nilus trauelled by Egypt and the Red sea to Ierusalem And she brought vnto Salomon an hundred twenty talents of gold which amount to 720000. golden ducates of Hungarie that is seuen tunnes of gold and 20000 Hungarian ducates besides This mightie sum of gold with other things of great value she presented vnto Salomon who likewise requited her with most princely giftes She contended with him also in propounding of sage questions obscure riddles Amongst other matters as it is reported by Cedrenus she brought before him certaine damosels and yoong men in maides attire asking the king how he could discerne one sexe from another He answered that he would finde them out by the washing of their faces And foorthwith he commanded all their faces to be washed and they which washed themselues strongly were found to be males but the residue by their tender washing bewraied themselues to be damosels The Ethiopian kings suppose that they are descended from the linage of Dauid and from the family of Salomon And therefore they vse to terme themselues the sonnes of Dauid and of Salomon and of the holy patriarkes also as being sprung from their progenie For Queene Maqueda say they had a sonne by Salomon whome they named Meilech But afterward he was called Dauid This Meilech as they report being growen to twentie yeeres of age was sent backe by his mother vnto his father and instructor Salomon that he might learne of him wisedome and vnderstanding Which so soone as the said Meilech or Dauid had attained by the permission of Salomon taking with him many priests and nobles out of all the twelue tribes he returned to his kingdome of Ethiopia and tooke vpon him the gouernment thereof As likewise he carried home with him the law of God and the rite of circumcision These were the beginnings of the Iewish religion in Ethiopia And it is reported that euen till this present none are admitted into any ministry or canonship in the court but such as are descended of their race that came first out of Iury. By these therfore the doctrine of God in Ethiopia was first planted which afterward tooke such deepe root as it hath since remained to all succeeding ages For the Ethiopians did both retaine the bookes of the Prophets and trauailed also to Ierusalem that they might there worship the true God reuealed in the kingdome of Israel Which manifestly appeereth out of the Historie of the Ethiopian Eunuch whose name was Indich which was a principall gouernour vnder Queene Candaces properly called Iudith For he about the tenth yeere after the death and resurrection of our blessed Sauiour trauailed for the space of two hundred and fortie miles to Ierusalem Where hauing performed due worship vnto God returning homeward as he sate in his chariot he read the prophet Esaias And by the commandement of the holy Spirit Philip one of Christ his disciples was sent vnto him And when they were both come to the citie Bethzur three miles distant from Ierusalem the Eunuch at the foote of a mountaine espied a certaine water wherein he was baptized by Philip. And being returned into Ethiopia this Eunuch baptized the Queene and a great part of her family and people From which time the Ethiopians began to be Christians who since that haue continually professed the Christian faith They beleeue also that Philip sent into Ethiopia a disciple of his called Lycanon who as they suppose ordained the verie forme of religion which they now holde Now these beginnings aswel of the Iewish as the christian religion among the Ethiopians being thus declared we are next to intreat of the doctrine religion it selfe togither with the rites ceremonies vsed at this present in the Ethiopicke church so far foorth as we can gather out of the ambassages which haue bin performed from these parts thither backe againe Besides which there is no historie nor discourse of any worth to be found which entreateth of the religion maners and customes of the Ethiopians So as it is a matter very strange that for so many hundred yeeres togither Ethiopia was so barred from our knowledge that we had not so much as any report thereof Vntill about the yeere of our Lord 1440. certaine ambassadours sent from thence to Pope Eugenius returned backe with his letters and Papall benediction to their king Which letters are most charily kept among the records of this Ethiopian king and are preserued for perpetuall monuments From which time also as though Ethiopia had beene againe quire debarred from the knowledge and conuersation of our men there were not any Europeans that went into Ethiopia nor any Ethiopians that came into Europe till the yeere of our Lord 1486. what time Iohn the second king of Portugall sent Pedro de Couilham and Alonço de Paiua to search out Ethiopia This Pedro was a man very learned eloquent skilfull in sundrie languages painfull in his endeuors fortunate in his attempts and most desirous to finde out new countries and people both by sea and land He therefore in the yeere aboue mentioned togither with his companion Alonço de 〈◊〉 who died in the voiage trauailed first to Alexandria and Cairo in Egypt from whence in the companie of certaine Mores of Fez and Tremizen he proceeded on to El Tor an hauen towne vpon the Arabian shore of the Red sea and thence to Aden situate without the entrance of the Arabian gulfe Where hauing embarqued himselfe in a ship of Mores he trauailed to Calicut Goa and other places of the east Indies and being fully informed of the state of the Spiceries he crossed ouer the maine Ocean to çofala sailed thence to Ormuz and then returned backe to Cairo From whence hauing dispatched letters vnto his king in the company of Rabbi Ioseph a Iew he made a second voiage to Ormuz and in his returne he tooke his iourney towards Ethiopia the Emperour whereof at that time was called Alexander Vnto whom when he had deliuered a letter and a mappe of the world sent from king Iohn he was most kindly entertained and rewarded with many rich gifts And albeit he most earnestly desired to returne into his owne countrey yet could he neuer obtaine leaue but had wealth honour and a wife of a noble family bestowed vpon him to asswage his desire of returning home Wherefore in the yeere 1526. which was fortie yeeres after his departure out of Portugall hee was left by Rodrigo de Lima the Portugall ambassadour still remaining in the court of Prete Ianni In all this meane
the 〈◊〉 purses * Or 〈◊〉 being a kinde of garment * Ilbernus These people liue like the Tartars * Or Salt-peter * Habat * Chauz or Cheuz A dangerous seducer The horrible desolation of Temesne English traffique Anfa destroied by the Portugals Iron-mines Why king Mansor built the towne of Rebat vpon the seashore Where king Mansor was buried Iron-mines Lyons and leopards * Or Sidi * Or 〈◊〉 English traffique Sela woon by a captaine of Castilia and recouered forthwith by the king of Fez. A merchant of Genoa The occasion of the bloody wars mooued by Sahid The citie of Fez besieged for seuen yeeres together * This number as I take it should rather be 819. Most cruell and 〈◊〉 lions The Portugals attempting to build a forte within the mouth of the riuer Subu defeated of their purpose and slaine A lamentable slaughter Iohn Leo his 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 Fierce lions Mecnase reduced vnder 〈◊〉 by the king of Fez. Idris the first founder of Fe Idris his 〈◊〉 valour at fifteene yeeres of age * 1526. The number and 〈◊〉 of the Mahumetan 〈◊〉 in Fez. The principall temple of Fez 〈◊〉 Caruven The reuenues of the great temple and how they are bestowed The 〈◊〉 of learning and learned men a principall cause of disorderly base gouernment Iohn Leo in his youth a notarie of an hospitall for two yeeres together * Like vnto our horse-mils The porters of Fez. * 〈◊〉 in his Italian 〈◊〉 calleth it Baioco The gouernour of the shambles in Fez. * In the Italian copie they are called Baiochi * Or 〈◊〉 A 〈◊〉 vsed in Africa how to keepe the princes tribute and merchants goods in securitie Iohn Leo was at Tauris in Persia. The punishment of malefactors in Fez. * Or Baiochi * Or 〈◊〉 A kinde of 〈◊〉 called Cuscusu The marriage of widowes The circumcision of their children 〈◊〉 Christian ceremonies 〈◊〉 among the 〈◊〉 Their funerals Rewards for poets in Fez. Three sorts of diuiners in Fez. An Arabian grammar written by Iohn Leo. Diuination and soothsaying forbidden by the lawe of 〈◊〉 Diuers Mahumetan sects 〈◊〉 sacked by the Tartars 72. principall sectes in the religion of Mahumet A booke written by Iohn 〈◊〉 of the liues of the Arabian philosophers The habitation of lepers in Fez and their gouernour * Or Aburinan The founder of new Fez. * Orturbant Engins for the conueiance of water The manner of choosing officers in the court of Fez. The king of Fez his guard How the king of Fez rideth on progresse * Or kines folkes The king of Fez his 〈◊〉 of warfare A 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hunting of lions vsed by the king of Fez. Tame 〈◊〉 Tame lions A pleasant discourse how king Mansor was entertained by a fisher Read Osorius lib. 2. de rebus gestis Eman. 〈◊〉 this towne The 〈◊〉 of a prouerbe An attempt and defeate of the Portugals * 1562. The taking of Arzilla by the English Arzilla taken by the Portugals Habdulac the last king of the Marin family Read Osorius lib. 5. de rebus gestis Eman. Iohn Leo serued the king of Fez in his wars against Arzilla * Or Boetica Casar Ezzaghir taken by the king of Portugall The entrance of the Moores into Granada * Or çeuta The streits of Gibraltar from Septa but 12. miles broad Septa taken by the Portugals Abu Sahid king of Fez and his sixe sonnes slaine all in one night Threescore thousand Moores slaine * Here seemeth to be an error in the originall Zibibbo A caue or hole that perpetually casteth vp fire Wine that will last fifteene yeeres 〈◊〉 enioyed and reedified by the Spaniards Chasasa taken by the Spaniards Yron-mines * Or Tremisen The great curtesie of Mahumet toward strangers * 1526. Iron-mines Lions leopards and apes A woonderful bridge Porcellan * The beast called Dabah 〈◊〉 and tame serpents * Or Tremizen * Or Oran * Or Mersalcabir 〈◊〉 king of Tremizen restored to his kingdome by the emperour Charles the fift * 1526 Great store of ostriches A ship of great 〈◊〉 The king of Telensin taken prisoner and beheaded * Or Turbant A passage from Europe to Acthiopia through the kingdome of Tremizen Mines of 〈◊〉 A 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Oran taken by the Spaniards Mersalcabir surprised by the Spaniards * Perhaps 〈◊〉 Alger become tributarie to the king of Spaine A voyage performed by Iohn 〈◊〉 The citie of Bugia taken by Pedro de Nauarra The hard successe of the king of Tunis his three sonnes Hot baths A fond and senseles 〈◊〉 S. Augustine in times past bishop of Hippo. Great store of corall The fish called 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 * 1526 The building of Cairaoan Tunis subiect vnto Abdul-Mumen and other kings of Maroco * Or perhaps Andaluzia A strange kind of spinning Doble Sugar-Canes * El Mahdia The isle of Sicilie subdued by the gouernour 〈◊〉 The fruit called Habhaziz A riuer 〈◊〉 hot water The lake of lepers The armie of don Ferdinando defeated Gerbi made tributarie vnto Charles the fift by meanes of a knight of the Rhodes Plentie of dates 〈◊〉 taken by a fleete of 〈◊〉 Tripolis surprized by Pedro de Nauarra Iron-mines Most 〈◊〉 saffron The Arabians of Barca most cruell and bloodie theeues * Error The beast called 〈◊〉 The port of Gart 〈◊〉 Copper-mines The strange propertie of the palme or date-tree Indico The flesh of the Ostrich Infinit numbers of Scorpions Mines of lead and antimonie An iron-mine Deadly scorpions Great store of Manna 〈◊〉 mines A whole carouan conducted by a blinde guide who lead them by sent onely as at 〈◊〉 present the Carouans of Maroco are conducted ouer the Libyan deserts to Tombuto The Negros subiect vnto Ioseph king of Maroco Abuacre Izchia This round and white pulse is called Maiz in the west Indies The naturall commodities of Ghinea The Prince of Ghinea kept prisoner by Izchia The prince of Mâ—lli subdued by Izchia Tombuto was conquered by the king of Maroco 1589. from whencâ— he hath for yeerly tribute mightie summes of gold The king of Tombuto his daughters married vnto two rich merchants * 1526. Great scarcitie of salt in Tombuto which commoditie might be supplied by our English merchants to their vnspeakable gaine Reuerence vsed before the king of Tombuto Poysoned arrowes Shels vsed for coine like as in the kingdome of Congo Rich sale for cloth Their maner of sowing 〈◊〉 at the 〈◊〉 of Niger The 〈◊〉 of Guber slaine by Izchia Zingani Agadez tributarie to the king of Tombuto The kings of Zegzeg of Casena and of Cano subdued by Izchia the king of Tombuto Izchia Izchia The king of Zanfara slaine by Izchia and the people made tributarie Gold Izchia The desert of Seu. Fifteene or twentie 〈◊〉 exchanged for one horse A Negro-slaue who hauing slaine his Lord grew to great might and authoritie The riuer of Nilus not naeuigable betweene Nubia and Egypt The rich commodities of Nubia Most strong poyson Zingani Prete 〈◊〉 Bugiha 〈◊〉 450. miles long Gen. 10. 6. * Mesraim
briefe iournall of his trauels you may see in the end of his eight booke what he writeth for himselfe Wherefore saith he if it shall please God to vouchsafe me longer life I purpose to describe all the regions of Asia which I haue trauelled to wit Arabia Deserta Arabia Petrea Arabia Felix the Asian part of Egypt Armenia and some part of Tartaria all which countries I sawe and passed through in the time of my youth Likewise I will describe my last voiages from Constantinople to Egypt and from thence vnto Italy c. Besides all which places he had also beene at Tauris in Persia and of his owne countrey and other African regions adioining and remote he was so diligent a traueller that there was no kingdome prouince signorie or citie nor scarcelie any towne village mountaine valley riuer or forrest c. which he left vnuisited And so much the more credite and commendation descrueth this woorthy Historie of his in that it is except the antiquities and certaine other incidents nothing else but a large Itinerarium or Iournal of his African voiages neither describeth he almost any one particular place where himselfe had not sometime beene an eie-witnes But not to forget His conuersion to Christianitie amidst all these his busie and dangerous trauels it pleased the diuine prouidence for the discouery and manifestation of Gods woonderfull works and of his dreadfull and iust iudgements performed in Africa which before the time of Iohn Leo were either vtterly concealed or vnperfectly and fabulously reported both by ancient and late writers to deliuer this author of ours and this present Geographicall Historie into the hands of certaine Italian Pirates about the isle of Gerbi situate in the gulfe of Capes betweene the cities of Tunis and Tripolis in Barbarie Being thus taken the Pirates presented him and his Booke vnto Pope Leo the tenth who esteeming of him as of a most rich and inualuable prize greatly reioiced at his arriuall and gaue him most kinde entertainement and liberall maintenance till such time as he had woone him to be baptized in the name of Christ and to be called Iohn Leo after the Popes owne name And so during his abode in Italy learning the Italian toong he translated this booke thereinto being before written in Arabick Thus much of Iohn Leo. Now let vs acquaint you with the Historie it selfe First therefore from so woorthy an author how could an historie proceed but of speciall woorth and consequence For proofe whereof I appeale vnto the translations thereof into Latine Italian Spanish French English and if I be not deceiued into some other languages which argue a generall 〈◊〉 of the same I appeale also to the grand and most iudiciall Cosmographer Master Iohn Baptista Ramusius sometime Secretarie to the state of Venice who in the Preface to his first volume of voiages so highly commendeth it to learned Fracastoro and placeth it euery word in the very forefront of his discourses as the principal most praise-woorthy of thē all And were renoumed Ortelius aliue I would vnder correction report me to him whether his map of Barbarie and Biledulgerid as also in his last Additament that of the kingdomes of Maroco and Fez were not particularly and from point to point framed out of this present relation which he also in two places at the least preferreth farre before all other histories written of Africa But to leaue the testimonies of others and to come neerer to the matter it selfe like as our prime and peerelesse English Antiquarie master William Camden in his learned Britannia 〈◊〉 exactly described England Scotland Ireland and the isles adiacent the which by Leander for 〈◊〉 by Damianus a Goez briefly for Spaine by Belforest for France by Munster for vpper Germanie by Guiccardini for the Netherlandes and by others for other countries hath beene performed so likewise this our author Iohn Leo in the historie ensuing hath so largely particularly and methodically deciphered the countries of Barbarie Numidia Libya The land of Negros and the hither part of Egypt as I take it neuer any writer either before or since his time hath done For if you shall throughly consider him what kingdome prouince citie towne village mountaine vallie riuer yea what temple college hospitall bath-stoue Inne or what other memorable matter doth he omit So doth he most iudicially describe the temperature of the climate and the nature of the soile as also the dispositions manners rites customes and most ancient pedigrees of the inhabitants togither with the alterations of religion and estate the conquests and ouerthrowes of the Romaines Goths and Arabians and other things by the way right woorthie the obseruation So that the Africans may iustly say to him and the English to master Camden as the prince of Roman oratours did vnto Marcus Varro the learnedst of his nation Nos in patria nostra peregrinantes errantesque tanquam hospites tui libri quasi domum deduxerunt vt possemus aliquando qui vbi essemus agnoscere Tuaetatem patriae tu descriptiones temporum tu sacrorum iura tu domesticam tu bellicam disciplinam tu sedem regionum locorum c. Which may thus be rudely 〈◊〉 Wandring vp and downe like Pilgrimes in our owne natiue soile thy bookes haue as it were led vs the right way home that we might at length acknowledge both who and where we are Thou hast reuealed the antiquitie of our nation the order of times the rites of our religion our manner of gouernment both in peace and warre yea thou hast described the situations of countries and places c. Now as concerning the additions before and after this Geographicall Historie hauing had some spare-howers since it came first vnder the presse I thought good both for the Readers satisfaction and that Iohn Leo might not appeere too solitarie vpon the stage to bestowe a part of them in collecting and digesting the same The chiefe scope of this my enterprize is to make a briefe and cursorie description of all those maine lands and isles of Africa which mine author in his nine bookes hath omitted For he in very deed leaueth vntouched all those parts of the African continent which lie to the south of the fifteene kingdomes of Negros and to the east of Nilus For the manifestation whereof I haue as truely as I could coniecture in the mappe adioined to this booke caused a list or border of small prickes to be engrauen which running westward from the mouth of Nilus to The streights of Gibraltar and from thence southward to the coast of Guinie and then eastward to the banks of Nilus and so northward to the place where it began doth with aduantage include all places treated of by Leo and excludeth the residue which by way of Preface we haue described before the beginning of his African historie Likewise at the latter end I haue put downe certaine relations of the great Princes of Africa and of the Christian
legions of soldiers which this emperour for the defence of his great estate is forced to maintaine his Amazones or women warriers before mentionied are the most valiant being indeed the very sinewes and chiefe strength of all his militarie forces These women after the manner of the ancient Scythish or Asiatike Amazones so much spoken of in histories of former times seare off their left paps that they might not be an hinderance vnto them in their shooting They are most expert in warlike stratagems and swift of foote Their weapons are bowes and arrowes At certaine times for generations sake they accompany with men sending the male children home to their fathers but keeping their daughters vnto themselues They inhabite towards the west not farre from the beginning of Nilus in certaine places which themselues make choise of and which are graunted vnto them by the fauour of the Emperour This empire of Monomotapa comprehendeth not onely the foresaid great island but stretcheth it selfe farther also toward the cape of Buena esperanca as farre as the kingdomes of Butua or Toroa which being gouerned by particular lords do acknowledge Monomotapa for their soueraigne Throughout all this emperours dominions is found infinite quantitie of gold in the earth in the rockes and in the riuers The gold-mines of this countrey neerest vnto Sofala are those of Manica vpon a plaine enuironed with mountaines and those also in the prouince of Matuca which is inhabited by the people called Battonghi and situate betweene the Equinoctiall line and the Tropique of Capricorne These mines are distant from Sofala betweene the space of 300. and sixe hundred miles but those of the prouinces of Boro and Quiticui are fifteene hundred miles distant towards the west Others there are also in the kingdomes of Toroa or Butua so that from hence or from Sofala or from some other part of Monomotapa some are of opinion that Salomons gold for the adorning of the temple at Ierusalem was brought by sea A thing in truth not very vnlikely for here in Toroa and in diuers places of Monomotapa are till this day remaining manie huge and ancient buildings of timber lime and stone being of singular workemanship the like whereof are not to be found in all the prouinces there abouts Heere is also a mightie wall of fiue and twentie spannes thicke which the people asoribe to the workemanship of the diuell being accounted from Sofala fiue hundred and ten miles the neerest way All other houses throughout this empire as is aforesaid consist of timber claie and thatch And heere I may boldly affirme that the ancient buildings of this part of Africa along the coast of the east Indies may not onely be compared but euen preferred before the buildings of Europe The authors of which ancient monuments are vnknowen but the later African buildings haue beene erected by the Arabians In the time of Sebastian king of Portugale the emperour of Monomotapa and many of his nobles were baptized howbeit afterward being seduced by certaine Moores hee put Gonsaluo Silua to death who conuerted him to the Christian religion Whereupon Sebastian king of Portugall sent against him an armie of sixteene thousand consisting for the most part of gentlemen and men of qualitie vnder the conduct of Francisco Barretto The Monomotapa being afraid of the Portugall forces offered Barretto as good and acceptable conditions of peace as might be desired but he not contented with reason was quite ouerthrowne not by his enimies but by the vnholesome aire of Ethiopia and by the manifold diseases which consumed his people Cafraria the fift generall part of the lower Ethiopia CAfraria or the land of the Cafri we esteeme to be both the coasts and inlands of the extreame southerly point of Africa beginning from the riuer Magnice and thence extending by Cabo da pescaria Terra do Natal Bahia da lagoa Bahia fermosa about the cape of Buena esperança by the bay called Agoada Saldanha and thence Northward along the westerne coast of Africa as far as Cabo Negro or the blacke cape which is situate verie neere vnto eighteene degrees of Southerly latitude The saide Cape of Buena esperança is deuided into three smaller headlands or capes The westermost being called Cabo de buena esperança or The cape of good hope after the name of the whole promontorie and being cut from the rest of the firme land The middlemost is named Cabo falso because the Portugales in their voiage homewards from the east Indies haue sometimes mistaken this for the true cape beforementioned betweene which two capes runneth into the sea a mightie riuer called by the Portugales Rio dolce where their caraks often take in fresh water and by the naturall inhabitants Camissa which springeth out of a small lake called Gale situate among The mountaines of the moon so much celebrated by ancient geographers The third and eastermost cape stretching farthest into the sea is called Cabo das Agulhas or the cape of Needles because there the needles of dialles touched with the loadstone stand directly North without any variation either to the east or to the west betweene this cape and the foresaid westermost cape which ly forth into the sea like two hornes is the bredth of this mightie promontorie containing about fiue and twentie leagues the length whereof from the riuer of Fernando Poo where it beginneth to iuttie forth into the sea along the westerne coast southward to the cape das Agulhas amounteth to two thousand two hundred Italian miles and from Cabo das Agulhas along the easterne shore northward to Cape Guardafu are three thousand three hundred of the same miles This cape at the first discouerie thereof was called by Nauigators The Lyon of the sea Cabo tormentoso or The tēpestuous cape not so much as I take it for the dangerous and stormie seas more about this cape then any other but partly in regard of the chargeable dangerous and long trauels of the Portugals before they could attaine vnto it and partly bicause of the great compasse which in their voiages outward they are constrained to fetch for the doubling thereof and partly also in regard of some tempestuous and stormie weather wherewith they haue beene encountered at this Cape which notwithstanding at certaine times is an ordinarie matter vpon all shores and promontories ouer the face of the whole earth And albeit some will not come within sight of this cape but keepe a great distance off for feare of the dangerous seas beating thereupon as namely Francis de Almeida who sailed aboue an hundred leagues to the south in fortie degrees of latitude Pedro de Agnaia in fortie fiue and Vasco Carualho in fortie seuen where in the moneth of Iuly eight of his men died for cold yet we finde by the late and moderne experience of sir Francis Drake master Candish master Lancaster in his returne from the east Indies and of the Hollanders in their nauigations thither begun in the yeere
vnto lust whereby the said women thinke themselues more trim and beautifull How the Arabians in the deserts betweene Barbarie and Aegypt doe lead their liues THE life of these men is full of miserie and calamitie for the places where they inhabite are barren and vnpleasant They haue some store of camels and other cattell howbeit their fodder is so scarce that they cannot well sustaine them Neither shall you finde ouer all the whole region any place fit to beare corne And if in that desert there be any villages at all which vse to husband and manure their ground yet reape they small commoditie thereby except it be for plentifull increase of dates Their camels and other of their cattell they exchange for dates and corne and so the poore husbandmen of the foresaide villages haue some small recompence for their labours notwithstanding how can all this satisfie the hunger of such a multitude For you shall dayly see in Sicilia great numbers of their sonnes layde to pawne Because when they haue not wherewithall to pay for the corne which they there buy they are constrained to leaue their sonnes behinde them as pledges of future payment But the Sicilians if their money be not paide them at the time appointed will chalenge the Arabians sonnes to be their slaues Which day being once past if any father will redeeme his childe he must disburse thrise or fower times so much as the due debt amounteth vnto for which cause they are the most notable theeues in the whole world If any stranger fall into their hands depriuing him of all that he hath they presently carrie him to Sicilie and there either sell or exchange him for come And I thinke that no merchants 〈◊〉 at any time within these hundred yeeres 〈◊〉 for traffiques sake vpon any part of their coast For when they are to passe by with merchandize or about any other weightie affaires they eschew that region fiue hundred miles at the least Once I remember that I my selfe for my better 〈◊〉 and to auoide the danger of those mischieuous people went in companie with certaine merchants who in three ships sayled along their coast We were no sooner espied of them but forthwith they came running to the shore making signes that they would traffique with vs to our great aduantage Howbeit becaufe we durst not repose any trust in them none of our companie would depart the ship before they had deliuered certaine pledges vnto vs. Which being done we bought certaine 〈◊〉 or gelded men and good store of butter of them And so immediately weighing our ankers we betooke vs to flight fearing least we should haue beene met withall by the Sicilian and Rhodian Pirates and beene spoiled not onely of our goods but of our liberties also To be short the saide Arabians are verie rude forlorne beggerly leane and hunger-starued people hauing God no doubt 〈◊〉 displeased against them by whose vengeance they dayly sustaine such 〈◊〉 calamities Of the people called Soara namely which possesse droues and flockes of cattell and being Africans by birth do notwithstanding imitate the manners of the Arabians YOV shall finde many among the Africans which liue altogithera shepheards or drouers life inhabiting vpon the beginning of mount Atlas and being dispersed here and there ouer the same mountaine They are constrained alwaies to pay tribute either to the King of the same region where they dwell or else to the Arabians except those onely which inhabite Temesna who are free from all forren superioritie and are of great power They speake the same kinde of language that other Africanes doe except some fewe of them which conuerse with the inhabitants of the citie called Vrbs which is neere vnto Tunis who speake the Arabian toong Moreouer there is a certaine people inhabiting that region which diuideth Numidia from Tunis These oftentimes wage warre against the King of Tunis himselfe which they put in practise not many yeeres since when as the said King his sonne marching towards them from Constantina with an armie for the demaunding of such tribute as was due vnto him fought a verie vnfortunate battell For no sooner were they aduertised of the Kings sonne his approach but foorthwith they went to meete him with two thousande horsemen and at length vanquished and slew him at vnawares carrying home with them all the furniture bag and baggage which he had brought foorth And this was done in the yeere of Mahumets Hegeira 915. From that time their fame hath beene spred abroad in all places Yea many of the king of Tunis his subiects reuolted from their King vnto them insomuch that the Prince of this people is growen so puissant that scarcely is his equall to be found in all Africa Of the faith and religion of the ancient Africans or Moores THE ancient Africans were much addicted to idolatrie euen as certain of the Persians are at this day some of whom worship the sunne and others the fire for their gods For the saide Africans had in times past magnificent and most stately temples built and dedicated as well to the honour of the sunne as of the fire In these temples day and night they kept fire kindled giuing diligent heed that it might not at any time be extinguished euen as we read of the Romane Vestall virgines All which you may read more fully and at large in the Persian and African Chronicles Those Africans which inhabited Libya and Numidia would each of them worship some certaine planet vnto whom likewise they offered sacrifices and praiers Some others of the land of Negros worship Guighimo that is to say The Lord of Heauen And this sound point of religion was not deliuered vnto them by any Prophet or teacher but was inspired as it were from God himselfe After that they embraced the Iewish law wherein they are said to haue continued many yeeres Afterward they professed the Christian religion and continued Christians vntill such time as the Mahumetan superstition preuailed which came to passe in the yeere of the Hegeira 208. About which time certaine of Mahomets disciples so bewitched them with eloquent and deceiueable speeches that they allured their weake minds to consent vnto their opinion insomuch that all the kingdomes of the Negros adioyning vnto Libya receiued the Mahumetan lawe Neither is there any region in all the Negros land which hath in it at this day any Christians at all At the same time such as were found to be Iewes Christians or of the African religion were slaine euerie man of them Howbeit those which dwell neere vnto the Ocean sea are all of them verie grosse idolaters Betweene whom and the Portugals there hath beene from time to time and euen at this present is great traffique and familiaritie The inhabitants of Barbarie continued for many yeeres idolaters but before the comming of Mahomet aboue 250 yeeres they are saide to haue embraced the Christian faith which some thinke came to passe vpon this occasion namely because
Aegypt and Syria for there it is vsed as a common prouerbe of cursing The French poxe take you Amongst the Barbarians the disease called in Latine Hernia is not so common but in Aegypt the people are much troubled therewith For some of the Aegyptians haue their cods oftentimes so swollen as it is incredible to report Which infirmitie is thought to be so common among them because they eate so much gumme and salt cheese Some of their children are subiect vnto the falling sicknes but when they growe to any stature they are free from that disease This falling sicknes likewise possesseth the women of Barbarie and of the land of Negros who to excuse it say that they are taken with a spirite In Barbarie the plague is rife euery tenth fifteenth or twentith yeere whereby great numbers of people are consumed for they haue no cure for the same but onely to rub the plague-sore with certaine ointments made of Armenian earth In Numidia they are infected with the plague scarce once in an hundred yeeres And in the land of Negros they know not the name of this disease because they neuer were subiect thereunto The commendable actions and vertues of the Africans THose Arabians which inhabite in Barbarie or vpon the coast of the Mediterran sea are greatly addicted vnto the studie of good artes and sciences and those things which concerne their law and religion are esteemed by them in the first place Moreouer they haue beene heretofore most studious of the Mathematiques of Philosophie and of Astrologie but these artes as it is aforesaid were fower hundred yeeres agoe vtterly destroyed and taken away by the chiefe professours of their lawe The inhabitants of cities doe most religiously obserue and 〈◊〉 those things which appertaine vnto their religion yea they honour those doctours and priests of whom they learne their law as if they were petie-gods Their Churches they frequent verie diligently to the ende they may repeat certaine prescript and formal prayers most superstitiously perswading themselues that the same day wherein they make their praiers it is not lawfull for them to wash certaine of their members when as at other times they wil wash their whole bodies Whereof we will by Gods helpe discourse more at large in the second Booke of this present treatise when we shall fall into the mentioning of Mahumet and of his religion Moreouer those which inhabite Barbarie are of great cunning dexteritie for building for mathematicall inuentions which a man may easily coniecture by their artificiall workes Most honest people they are and destitute of all fraud and guile not onely imbracing all simplicitie and truth but also practising the same throughout the whole course of their liues albeit certaine Latine authors which haue written of the same regions are farre otherwise of opinion Likewise they are most strong and valiant people especially those which dwell vpon the mountaines They keepe their couenant most faithfully insomuch that they had rather die then breake promise No nation in the world is so subiect vnto iealousie for they will rather leese their liues then put vp any disgrace in the behalfe of their women So desirous they are of riches and honour that therein no other people can goe beyonde them They trauell in a manner ouer the whole world to exercise traffique For they are continually to bee seene in AEgypt in AEthiopia in Arabia Persia India and Turkie and whithersoeuer they goe they are most honorably esteemed of for none of them will professe any arte vnlesse hee hath attained vnto great exactnes and perfection therein They haue alwaies beene much delighted with all kinde of ciuilitie and modest behauiour and it is accounted heinous among them for any man to vtter in companie any bawdie or vnseemely worde They haue alwaies in minde this sentence of a graue author Giue place to thy superiour If any youth in presence of his father his vncle or any other of his kinred doth sing or talke ought of loue matters he is deemed to bee woorthie of grieuous punishment Whatsoeuer lad or youth there lighteth by chaunce into any company which discourseth of loue no sooner heareth nor vnderstandeth what their talke tendeth vnto but immediately he withdraweth himselfe from among them These are the things which we thought most woorthie of relation as concerning the ciuilitie humanitie and vpright dealing of the Barbarians let vs now proceede vnto the residue Those Arabians which dwell in tents that is to say which bring vp cattell are of a more liberall and ciuill disposition to wit they are in their kinde as deuout valiant patient courteous hospitall and as honest in life and conuersation as any other people They be most faithfull obseruers of their word and promise insomuch that the people which before we said to dwell in the mountaines are greatly stirred vp with emulation of their vertues Howbeit the said mountainers both for learning for vertue and for religion are thought much inferiour to the Numidians albeit they haue little or no knowledge at all in naturall philosophie They are reported likewise to be most 〈◊〉 warriours to be valiant and exceeding louers and practisers of all humanitie Also the Moores and Arabians inhabiting Libya are somewhat ciuill of behauiour being plaine dealers voide of dissimulation fauourable to strangers and louers of simplicitie Those which we before named white or tawney Moores are most stedfast in friendship as likewise they indifferently and fauourably esteeme of other nations and wholy indeuour themselues in this one thing namely that they may leade a most pleasant and iocund life Moreouer they maintaine most learned professours of liberall artes and such men as are most deuout in their religion Neither is there any people in all Africa that lead a more happie and honorable life What vices the foresaid Africans are subiect vnto NEuer was there any people or nation so perfectly endued with vertue but that they had their contrarie faults and blemishes now therfore let vs consider whether the vices of the Africās do surpasse their vertues good parts Those which we named the inhabitants of the cities of Barbarie are somewhat needie and couetous being also very proud and high-minded and woonderfully addicted vnto wrath insomuch that according to the prouerbe they will deeply engraue in marble any iniurie be it neuer so small will in no wise blot it out of their remembrance So rusticall they are void of good manners that scarcely can any stranger obtaine their familiaritie and friendship Their wits are but meane and they are so credulous that they will beleeue matters impossible which are told them So ignorant are they of naturall philosophie that they imagine all the effects and operations of nature to be extraordinarie and diuine They obserue no certaine order of liuing nor of lawes Abounding exceedingly with choler they speake alwaies with an angrie and lowd voice Neither shall you walke in the day-time in any of their streetes
but you shall see commonly two or three of them together by the eares By nature they are a vile and base people being no better accounted of by their gouernours then if they were dogs They haue neither iudges nor lawyers by whose wisedome and counsell they ought to be directed They are vtterly vnskilfull in trades of merchandize being destitute of bankers and money-changers wherefore a merchant can doe nothing among them in his absence but is himselfe constrained to goe in person whithersoeuer his wares are carried No people vnder heauen are more addicted vnto couetise then this nation neither is there I thinke to bee found among them one of an hundred who for courtesie humanitie or deuotions sake will vouchsafe any entertainment vpon a stranger Mindfull they haue alwaies beene of iniuries but most forgetfull of benefites Their mindes are perpetually possessed with vexation and strife so that they will seldome or neuer shew themselues tractable to any man the cause whereof is supposed to be for that they are so greedily addicted vnto their filthie lucre that they neuer could attaine vnto any kinde of ciuilitie or good behauiour The shepherds of that region liue a miserable toilsome wretched and beggerly life they are a rude people and as a man may say borne and bred to theft deceit and brutish manners Their yoong men may goe a wooing to diuers maides till such time as they haue sped of a wife Yea the father of the maide most friendly welcommeth her suiter so that I thinke scarce any noble or gentleman among them can chuse a virgine for his spouse albeit so soone as any woman is married she is quite forsaken of all her suiters who then seeke out other new paramours for their liking Concerning their religion the greater part of these people are neither Mahumetans Iewes nor Christians and hardly shall you finde so much as a sparke of pietie in any of them They haue no churches at all nor any kinde of prayers but being vtterly estranged from all godly deuotion they leade a sauage and beastly life and if any man chanceth to be of a better disposition because they haue no law-giuers nor teachers among them he is constrained to follow the example of other mens liues maners All the Numidians being most ignorant of naturall domesticall commonwealth-matters are principally addicted vnto treason trecherie murther theft and robberie This nation because it is most slauish will right gladly accept of any seruice among the Barbarians be it neuer so vile or contemptible For some will take vpon them to be dung-farmers others to be scullians some others to bee ostlers and such like seruile occupations Likewise the inhabitants of Libya liue a brutish kinde of life who neglecting all kindes of good artes and sciences doe wholy apply their mindes vnto theft and violence Neuer as yet had they any religion any lawes or any good forme of liuing but alwaies had and euer will haue a most miserable and distressed life There cannot any trechery or villanie be inuented so damnable which for lucres sake they dare not attempt They spend all their daies either in most lewd practises or in hunting or else in warfare neither weare they any shooes nor garments The Negros likewise leade a beastly kinde of life being vtterly destitute of the vse of reason of dexteritie of wit and of all artes Yea they so behaue themselues as if they had continually liued in a forrest among wilde beasts They haue great swarmes of harlots among them whereupon a man may easily coniecture their manner of liuing except 〈◊〉 conuersation perhaps be somewhat more tolerable who dwell in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and cities for it is like that they are somewhat more addicted to 〈◊〉 Neither am I ignorant how much mine owne credit is 〈◊〉 when I my selfe write so homely of Africa vnto which countrie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 debted both for my birth and also for the best part of my education Howbeit in this regarde I seeke not to excuse my selfe but onely to appeale vnto the dutie of an historiographer who is to set downe the plaine truth in all places and is blame-woorthie for flattering or fauouring of any person And this is the cause that hath mooued me to describe all things so plainly without glosing or dissimulation wherefore here I am to request the gentle Reader friendly to accept of this my most true discourse albeit not adorned with fine words and artificiall eloquence as of certaine vnknowne strange matters Wherein how indifferent and sincere I haue shewed my selfe it may in few words appeere by that which followeth It is reported of a lewd countriman of ours that being conuicted of some heinous crime he was adiudged to be seuerely beaten for it Howbeit the day following when the 〈◊〉 came to doe his busines the malefactor remembred that certaine yeeres before he had some acquaintance and familiaritie with him which made him to presume that he should find more fauour at his hands then a meere stranger But he was fowly 〈◊〉 for the executioner vsed him no better then if he had neuer knowne him Wherefore this caitife at the first exclaiming vpon his executioner oh saith he my goodfriend what maketh you so sterne as not to acknowledge our olde acquaintance Hereupon the executioner beating him more cruelly then before friend quoth he in such busines as this I vse to be mindfull of my dutie and to shew no fauour at all and so continually laying on he ceased not till the iudiciall sentence was fulfilled It was doubtlesse a great argument of impartiall dealing when as respect of former friendship could take no place Wherefore I thought good to record all the particulars aforesaid least that describing vices onely I should seeme to flatter them with whom I am now presently conuersant or extolling onely the vertues of the Africans I might hereafter be saide to sue for their fauour which I haue of purpose eschewed to the end that I might haue more free accesse vnto them Moreouer may it please you for this purpose to heare another resemblance or similitude There was vpon a time a most wily bird so indued by nature that she could liue as well with the fishes of the sea as with the fowles of the aire wherefore she was rightly called Amphibia This bird being sommoned before the king of birds to pay her yeerely tribute determined foorthwith to change her element and to delude the king and so flying out of the aire she drencht herselfe in the Ocean sea Which strange accident the fishes woondring at came flocking about Amphibia saluting her and asking her the cause of her comming Good fishes quoth the bird know you not that all things are turned so vpside downe that we wot not how to liue securely in the aire Our tyrannicall king what furie haunts him I know not commanded me to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to death whereas no silly bird respected euer his commoditie as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one Which most vniust
in the midst thereof most cleere and coole fountaines This towne is enuironed on all sides with rockes and mightie woods In the said towne are Iewes of all occupations and so me there are which affirme that the first inhabitants of this towne came by naturall descent from King Dauid but so soone as the Mahumetan religion had infected that place their owne lawe and religion ceased Heere are great store of most cunning lawyers which are perfectly well seene in the lawes and constitutions of that nation for I remember that I my selfe sawe a very aged man who could most readily repeate a whole volume written in their language called by them Elmudevuana that is to say the body of the whole lawe The said volume is diuided into three tomes wherein all difficult questions are dissolued together with certaine counsels or commentaries of a famous author which they call 〈◊〉 They haue a kinde of tribunall or iudgement-hall wherein all contentions happening betweene the citizens of this place and their neighbour-cities are presently decided and set through Neither doe the said lawyers deale onely in common-wealth matters but also in cases pertaining to religion albeit in criminall cases the people doe not so greatly credit them for indeede their learning little serueth them for that purpose Being amongst them it was my hap to soiourne in the house of a certaine lawyer who was a man of great learning This lawyer to the end he might giue me more solemne entertainmēt would needs inuite diuers learned men of his owne profession to beare vs companie at supper After supper we had many questions propounded and amongst the residue this was one namely Whether any man might iustly sell that person for a bondflaue who is nourished by any commoditie of the people There was in companie at the same time a certaine aged Sire hauing a graue beard and a reuerend countenance vnto whom each one of them ascribed much honour him they called in their owne language Hegazzare Which name when I had heard thrice or fower times repeated I demanded of some that were in presence what was the true signification thereof They told me that it signified a butcher for say they as a butcher knoweth right well the true anatomy of euery part of a beast euen so can this aged Sire most learnedly dissolue all difficult questions doubts of lawe This people leadeth a most miserable and distressed life their foode is barlie bread oile arganicke and goates-flesh They know no vse of any other graine but barlie Their women are very beautifull and of a louely hue their men be strong and lustie hauing haire growing vpon their brestes and being very liberall and exceeding iealous Of Culeihat Elmuridin that is to say The rocke of disciples a castle of Hea. THis Culeihat Elmuridin is a castle built vpon the top of a certaine high mountaine hauing round about it diuers other mountaines of a like heighth which are enuironed with craggie rocks and huge woods There is no passage vnto this castle but onely a certaine narrow path vpon one side of the mountaine By the one side thereof stands a rocke and vpon the other side the mountaine of Tesegdelt is within halfe a mile and it is distant from Eitdeuet almost eighteene miles This castle was built euen in our time by a certaine apostata or renouncer of the Mahumetan religion called by them Homar Seijef who being first a Mahumetan preacher vnto the people propounded vnto a great number of disciples and sectaries whom he had drawen to be of his opinion certaine new points of religion This fellow seeing that he preuailed so with his disciples that they esteemed him for some petie-god became of a false preacher a most cruell tyrant and his gouernment lasted for twelue yeeres He was the chiefe cause of the destruction and ruine of the whole prouince At length he was slaine by his owne wife because he had vnlawfully lien with her daughter which she had by her former husband And then was his peruerse and lewd dealing laide open vnto all men for he is reported to haue beene vtterly ignorant of the lawes and of all good knowledge Wherefore not long after his decease all the inhabitants of the region gathering their forces togither slew euerie one of his disciples and false sectaries Howbeit the nephew of the said apostata was left aliue who afterward in the same castle endured a whole yeeres siege of his aduersaries and repelled them insomuch that they were constrained to depart Yea euen vntill this day he molesteth the people of Hea and those which inhabite neere vnto him with continuall warre liuing vpon robberie and spoile for which purpose he hath certaine horsemen which are appointed to watch and to pursue trauellers sometimes taking cattel and sometimes men captiues He hath likewise certaine gunners who although trauellers be a good distance off for the common high way standeth almost a mile from the castle will put them in great feare Howbeit all people doe so deadly hate him that they will not suffer him to till one foote of ground or to beare any dominion without the said mountaine This man hath caused his grandfathers body to be honorably buried in his castle suffering him to be adored of his people as if he were a god Passing by that way vpon a certain time I escaped their very bullets narrowly The life religion manners of the foresaid Homar Seijef I perfectly learned by a disciple of his hauing at large declared the same in a certaine briefe treatise which I haue written concerning the Mahumetan religion Of Igilingigil a towne of Hea. MOreouer the Africans in olde time built a certaine towne vpon an hill called by the inhabitants Igilingigil being distant from Eitdeuet about six miles southward and containing almost fower hundred families In this towne are sundry artificers employing themselues onely about things necessarie to the ende they may make their best gaine aduantage thereby Their ground is most fertile for barlie as likewise they haue great abundance of honie and of oile Arganicke The passage or way vnto this citie is very narrow lying onely vpon one side of the hill And it is so hard and difficult that horses cannot without great labour and perill goe vpon it The inhabitants are most valiant people and wel exercised in armes maintaining continuall warre against the Arabians and that for the most part with very prosperous successe by reason of the naturall and strong situation of the 〈◊〉 A more liberall people then this you shall hardly find They generally exercise themselues in making of earthen pots and vessels which I thinke none of their neighhours thereabout can doe Of Tefethne a port and most famous mart-towne of Hea. NEere vnto the Ocean sea standeth a citie most strong both for situation and building commonly called Tefethne being westward of Ingilingigil about fortie miles They say that this towne was built by certaine Africans and that it
of this towne vse to paint a blacke crosse vpon their cheeke and two other blacke crosses vpon the palmes of their hands and the like custome is obserued by all the inhabitants of the mountaines of Alger and Bugia the occasion whereof is thought to be this namely that the Gothes when they first began to inuade these regions released all those from paying of tribute as our African historiographers affirme that would imbrace the Christian religion But so often as any tribute was demanded euery man to eschew the payment thereof would not sticke to professe himselfe a Christian wherefore it was then determined that such as were Christians indeed should be distinguished from others by the foresaid crosses At length the Gothes being expelled they all reuolted vnto the Mahumetan religion howbeit this custome of painting crosses remained still amongthem neither doe they know the reason thereof Likewise the meaner sort of people in Mauritania vse to make such crosses vpon their faces as we see vsed by some people of Europe This towne aboundeth greatly with figs and the fields thereof are exceeding fruitfull for flaxe and barley The townesmen haue continued in firme league and friendship with the people of the mountaines adioyning by whose fauour they liued an hundred yeeres togither without paying of any tribute at all but Barbarossa the Turke hauing woon the kingdome of Telensin put them to great distresse From hence they vse to transport by sea great store of figs and flaxe vnto Alger Tunis and Bugia wherby they gaine great store of money Here also you may as yet behold diuers monuments of the Romans ancient buildings Of the towne of Sersell THis great and ancient towne built by the Romanes vpon the Mediterran sea was afterward taken by the Gothes and lastly by the Mahumetans The wall of this towne is exceeding high strong and stately built and containeth about eight miles in circuit In that part of the towne next vnto the Mediterran sea standeth a most beautifull and magnificent temple built by the Romans the inward part whereof consisteth of marble They had also in times past an impregnable for t standing vpon a rock by the Mediterran sea Their fields are most fruitfull and albe it this towne was much oppressed by the Gothes yet the Mahumetans enioyed a great part thereof for the space almost of fiue hundred yeeres And then after the warre of Telensin it remained voide of inhabitants almost three hundred yeeres At length when Granada was woon by the Christians diuers Moores of Granada fled hither which repaired the houses and a good part of the castle afterward they began to build ships wherewith they transported their merchantable commodities into other regions and they increased so by little and little that now they are growne to twelue hundred families They were subiect not long since vnto Barbarossa the Turke vnto whom they paide but three hundred ducates for yeerely tribute Of the citie of Meliana THis great and ancient citie commonly called now by the corrupt name of Magnana and built by the Romanes vpon the top of a certaine hill is distant from the Mediterran sea almost fortie miles Vpon this mountaine are many springs and woods abounding with walnuts The citie it selfe is enuironed with most ancient and high wals One side thereof is fortified with impregnable rockes and the other side dependeth so vpon the mountaine as Narma doth which is a citie neere Rome it containeth verie stately houses euerie one of which houses hath a fountaine The inhabitants are almost all weauers and there are diuers turners also which make fine cups dishes and such like vessels Many of them likewise are husbandmen They continued many yeeres free from all tribute and exaction till they were at length made tributarie by Barbarossa Of the towne of Tenez THis ancient towne built by the Africans vpon the side of an hill not far from the Mediterran sea is enuironed with faire walles and inhabited with many people The inhabitants are exceeding rusticall and vnciuill and haue alwaies beene subiect to the king of Telensin King Mahumet that was grandfather vnto the king which now raigneth left three sonnes behinde him the eldest being called Abuabdilla the second Abuzeuen and the third Iahia Abuabdilla succeeded his father whom his brethren being ayded by the citizens went about to murther But afterward the treason being discouered Abuzeuen was apprehended and put in prison Howbeit king Abuchemmeu being after that expelled out of his kingdome by the people Abuzeuen was not onely restored to his former libertie but was also chosen king and enioyed the kingdome so long till as is before-mentioned he was slaine by Barbarossa Iahia fled vnto the king of Fez who being at length proclaimed king by the people of Tenez raigned for certaine yeeres And his yoong sonne that he left behinde him being vanquished by Barbarossa fled vnto Charles who was then onely king of Spaine But when as the ayde promised by Charles the Emperour stayed long and the Prince of Tenez was too long absent a rumour was spread abroad that hee and his brother were turned Christians whereupon the gouernment of Tenez fell immedially to the brother of Barbarossa Their fields indeed yeeld abundance of corne but of other commodities they haue great want Of the towne of Mazuna THis towne as some report was built by the Romanes and standeth about fortie miles from the Mediterran sea It hath fruitfull fields strong walles but most base and deformed houses Their temple indeed is somewhat beautiful for it was in times past a most stately towne but being often sacked sometime by the king of Telensin and sometime by his rebels and at length falling into the hands of the Arabians it was brought vnto extreme miserie so that at this present there are but few inhabitants remaining all being either weauers or husbandmen and most grieuously oppressed by the Arabians Their fields abound plentifully with all kinde of corne Neere vnto this towne there haue beene in times past many houses streets and villages which may probably be coniectured by the letters engrauen vpon marble stones The names of which villages are not to bee found in any of our histories or Chronicles Of Gezeir otherwise called Alger GEzeir in the Moores language signifieth an island which name is thought to haue beene giuen vnto this citie because it lieth neere vnto the isles of Maiorica Minorica and Ieuiza howbeit the Spanyards call it Alger It was founded by the Africans of the familie of Mesgana wherefore in old time it was called by the name of Mesgana It is a large towne containing families to the number of fower thousand and is enuironed with most stately and impregnable walles The buildings thereof are very artificiall and sumptuous and euery trade and occupation hath here a seuerall place Innes bath-stoues and temples here are very beautifull but the stateliest temple of all standeth vpon the sea-shore Next vnto the sea there is a most pleasant walke vpon that
the flesh of such beasts as are taken in those deserts Sometimes they receiue tribute of the gouernour of Suachen and sometimes of the gouernors of Dangala They had once a rich towne situate vpon the red sea called Zibid whereunto belonged a commodious hauen being opposite vnto the hauen of Zidem which is fortie miles distant from Mecca But an hundred yeeres since it was destroied by the Soldan bicause the inhabitants receiued certaine wares which should haue beene carried to Mecca and at the same time the famous port of Zibid was destroied from whence notwithstanding was gathered a great yeerely tribute The inhabitants being chased from thence fledde vnto Dangala and Suachin and at length being ouercome in battaile by the gouernour of Suachin there were in one day slaine of them aboue fower thousand and a thousand were carried captiue vnto Suachin who were massacred by the women and children of the citie And thus much friendly reader as concerning the lande of Negros the fifteene kingdomes whereof agreeing much in rites and customes are subiect vnto fower princes onely Let vs now proceed vnto the description of Egypt Here endeth the seuenth booke IOHN LEO HIS EIGHT BOOKE OF the Historie of Africa and of the memorable things contained therein Of Egypt THe most noble and famous prouince of Egypt bordering westward vpon the deserts of Barca Numidia and Libya eastward vpon the deserts lying betweene Egypt it selfe and the red sea and northward vpon the Mediterran sea is inclosed southward with the land of the foresaid people called Bugiha and with the riuer of Nilus It stretcheth in length from the 〈◊〉 sea to the land of the people called Bugiha about fower hundred and fiftie miles but in bredth it is very narrow so that it containeth nought but a small distance betweene both the banks of Nilus and the barren mountaines bordering vpon the foresaid deserts being inhabited onely in that place where Nilus is separate from the saide mountaines albeit towards the Mediterran sea it extendeth it selfe somewhat broader For Nilus about fower-score miles from the great citie of Cairo is diuided into two branches one whereof 〈◊〉 in his chanell westward returneth at length into the maine streame from whence he tooke his originall and hauing passed about threescore miles beyond Cairo it diuideth it selfe into two other branches whereof the one runneth to Damiata and the other to Rosetto And 〈◊〉 of that which trendeth to Damiata issueth another branch which discharging it selfe into a lake passeth through a certaine gullet or streit into the Mediterran sea vpon the banke whereof standeth the most ancient citie of Tenesse and this diuision of Nilus into so many streames and branches causeth Egypt as I haue beforesaid to be so narrow All this prouince is plaine and is most fruitfull for all kind of graine and pulse There are most pleasant and greene medowes and great store of geese and other fowles The countrey people are of a swart and browne colour but the citizens are white Garments they weare which are streite downe to their wastes and broad beneath and the sleeues likewise are streight They couer their heads with a round and high habite called by the Italians a Dulipan Their shooes are made according to the ancient fashion In sommer they weare garments of particoloured cotton but in winter they vse a certaine garment lined with cotton which they call Chebre but the chiefe citizens and merchants are apparelled in cloth of Europe The inhabitants are of an honest cheereful and liberall disposition For their victuals they vse a kinde of newe and extreme salt cheeses and sowre milke also artificially congealed which fare albeit they account very daintie yet cannot strangers digest it and into euerie dish almost they put sower milke A diuision of Egypt SInce the Mahumetans were Lords of Egypt it hath beene diuided into three parts For the region from Cairo to Rosetto is called the shore of Errif and from Cairo to the lande of Bugiha it is called Sahid that is to say The firme land but the region adioining vpon that branch of Nilus which runneth towardes Damiata and Tenesse they call by the name of Bechria or Maremma All Egypt is exceeding fertile but the prouince of Sahid excelleth the two other parts for abundance of corne cattle fowles and flaxe and Maremma aboundeth with cotton and sugar Howbeit the inhabitants of Marremma and Errif are farre more ciuill then the people of Sahid bicause those two prouinces lie neerer vnto the sea and are more frequented by European Barbarian and Assirian merchants but the people of Sahid haue no conuersation with strangers except it be with a fewe Ethiopians Of the ancient pedigree and originall of the Egyptians THe Egyptians as Moses writeth fetch their originall from Mesraim the sonne of Chus the sonne of Cham the sonne of Noe and the Hebrewes call both the countrie and the inhabitants of Egypt by the name of Mesraim The Arabians call Egypt it selfe Mesre but the inhabitants Chibith And Chibith they say was the man that first tooke vpon him the gouernment of this region and began first to builde houses thereon Also the inhabitants call themselues by the same name neither are there left any true Egyptians besides a fewe Christians which are at this present remaining The residue embracing the Mahumetan religion haue mingled themselues amongst the Arabians the Moores This kingdome was gouerned many yeeres by the Egyptians themselues as namely by the kings that were called Pharao who by their monuments and admirable buildings seeme to haue beene mightie princes and also by the kings called Ptolomaei Afterward being subdued vnto the Romaine Empire this kingdome since the comming of Christ was conuerted vnto the Christian religion vnder the saide Romaine gouernment since the decay of which Empire it fell into the possession of the Emperours of Constantinople who being very carefull to maintaine this kingdome were at length depriued thereof by the Mahumetans vnder the conduct of Hamrus the sonne of Hasi being appointed captaine generall ouer the Arabian armie of Homar the second Califa or Mahumetan patriarke of that name who permitting all men to haue their owne religion required nought but tribute at their hands The said captaine built vpon the banke of Nilus a certaine towne called by the Arabians Fustato which word signifieth in their language a tabernacle for when he first vndertooke this expedition he marched through wilde and desert places voide of inhabitants so that his armie was constrained to lye in tents The common people call this towne Mesre Hatichi that is to say the auncient citie which notwithstanding in comparison of Cairo may not vnfitly be called the New citie And as concerning the situation of this towne many excellent men both Christians Iewes and Mahumetans haue in these our times beene deceiued For they thinke Mesre to be situate in the same place where king Pharao in the time of Moses and king Pharao in the time of
Patriarke who aspiring himselfe to the Patriarkship and seeing that if he followed this vnion begun with the Romaine church he could not attaine to that dignitie but by the Popes authoritie which he altogither misdoubted he first made the decree of two natures to be deferred commanding afterwards that none should subscribe thereunto and finally caused the Patriarke wholie to giue ouer this busines and to retire himselfe into the wildernes whereas he continued for certaine months Afterwards the priests vnderstanding where he was wrot vnto him a letter signifying therein what a special desire they had to see him and what domage the retiring of himselfe would procure to the sillie sheepe recommended vnto him by God if he ratified not fully those things which were decreed vpon in the laft assemblie He curteously answered making shew that he would returne when he had visited his dioces and in the meane while they should expect him at Cairo But while he thought vpon returne his owne death interrupted him The Cofti haue a law or custome that betweene the death of one Patriarke and the creation of an other there must be in a maner an whole yeeres space for so long it is requisite say they that the church should bewaile the death of her spouse Whereupon the priests not to loose so much time determined to go home into Italy to acquaint the Pope with the successe of all things and afterwards neede so requiring to returne The Cofti vnderstanding thus much writ letters to the Pope wherin they partly thanked him for the care he had of them partly lamented that their recōciliation with the Romish church was not fully confirmed and finished While the priests were about to depart on Saint Mathewes day in the morning there came a route of armed Turkes to their lodging These layde hands suddenly on two priests and another companion of theirs and on three Fryers of the order of Saint Francis lodged in the same house No man knew the reason of this hurly burly but for as much as could be learned all this grew through the enuie of a Frenchman This man aspiring to the degree of Consull or Gouernor ouer his nation which Mariani had obtayned maliciously gaue the Bassa of Cairo to vnderstād that Mariani suborned the people against the grād Signor that he had order from the K. of Spaine to leuie Christian men And that to this end he kept in his house certaine priests who practised in this behalf with Mariani for the king There was nothing that more preiudiced the priests then the Cofties letters which bred a vehement suspition in the Turkes that such an vnion might be concluded with the Roman Church as might worke some extraordinarie innouation They were therefore cast into a filthie and stinking prison The Venetian Consull assayed first by word of mouth and after by suite and supplication to asswage the furie and anger of the Bassá Howbeit he receiued such bitter and nipping answeres that he himselfe was also afraid But nothing preuaileth further with the Turkes then money For it seemeth that with this onely their sauage furie is mitigated and their fiercenes appeased Fiue thousand crownes therefore were disbursed for the priests libertie wherein the Cofti shewed themselues verie friendly the richest of them offering one after another to lend money without any interest for the same But this matter cost Mariani more then ten thousand crownes and besides that he was depriued of his degree of Consulship The priests being thus freed out of prison and obseruing how things went returned one after another backe to Rome A relation touching the state of Christian Religion in the dominions of Prete Ianni taken out of an oration of Matthew Dresserus professour of the Greeke and Latine toongs and of Histories in the Vniuersitie of Lipsia Who hauing first made a generall exordium to his auditorie proceedeth at length to the peculiar handling of the foresaid argument in manner following NOndum saith hee vni us seculi aet as exacta est c. The space of one hundred yeeres is not as yet fullie expired since the fame of the Ethiopians religion came first vnto our eares Which because it is in many points agreeable vnto Christian veritie and carrieth an honest shew of pietie therewith is to be esteemed as a matter most worthie of our knowledge Of this therefore so far forth as the short time of an oration will permit I purpose to intreate to the end it may appeare both where and what manner of Christian church that of Ethiopia is and what were the first beginnings thereof This Ethiopian not vnfitly called The southerne church is situate in Africa far south namely vnder the Torrid Zone betweene the Tropique of Cancer and the Equinoctial some part thereof also stretching beyond the Equinoctial towards the Tropique of Capricorne Two summers they haue euery yeere yea in a manner one continual summer so that at the very same time in some fields they sowe and in others they reape Somewhere also they haue euery moneth ripe some kinde of earthlie fruits or other especiallie pulse The people are skorched with the heate of the sun and they are black and go naked saue onely that some couer their priuities with cloth of cotton or of silke The countrie is very great and containeth well nie twentie kingdomes so that it is almost as large as Europe or as all Christendome in these parts At the beginning indeed it had not aboue two kingdomes but in processe of time it was mightily enlarged by the conquest of countries adiacent For it is enuironed on all sides by vnbeleeuing gentiles and 〈◊〉 who are most deadlie enimies to the Christian religion with whome the emperour of Ethiopia is at continuall wars endeuouring by all possible meanes to reclaime them from their heathenish Idolatry to the faith of Iesus Christ. It is reported that certaine bordering Mores beare such implacable hatred against these Christians that none of them may 〈◊〉 before he bringeth testimony that he hath slaine twelue of 〈◊〉 The 〈◊〉 of Ethiopia is not called as some imagine 〈◊〉 or priest but Pretious Iohn For in the Ethiopian toung he is termed Belul Gian and in the Chaldean Encoe Gian both which additions signifie pretious or high so that in a maner he commeth neer vnto the titles of our princes who are called Illustres Excelsi Serenissimi c. to signifie that they are exalted and aduanced aboue other people And this is a common name to all the christian kings of Ethiopia as Pharao was to the Egyptian kings and Augustus to the Roman emperours Neither is this Pretious Iohn a priest by profession but a ciuil magistrate nor is he armed so much with religion and lawes as with military forces Howbeit he calleth himselfe The piller of faith because he is the maintainer of the Christian faith not onely enioining his owne subiects to the obseruation thereof but what in him lyeth enforcing his enemies
length into Congo with two friers and fower priests and ordered matters reasonablie well In the meane while Don Aluaro died and his sonne of the same name succeeded him who failed not to sollicite both Don Sebastian and Don Henrie kings of Portugall and the king of Spaine also that they would send him some competent number of preachers and ecclesiasticall persons for the augmentation of the Christian faith in his kingdome and amidst these determinations he died and a sonne of his called also Don Aluaro succeeded him During these tumults certaine other Portugall Priests went into Congo labouring to prune that vine which had beene long time giuen ouer and forsaken These men haue built them an house in the island of Loanda where do remaine sixe or seauen of their companie that are readie to goe sometimes hither and sometimes thither as neede requireth In the yeere of our Lord 1587. king Aluaro who bicause hee was not borne of lawfull matrimonie was but little esteemed by his people would needes haue one of these priests about him by whose meanes and authoritie he came to reputation and credite And God himselfe fauoured his proceedings for meeting a sister of his by the fathers side and one of her brothers with a great armie in the fielde he gaue him battaile and bore himselfe therein with such valour as he did not onely ouerthrow the forces of his enime but further slew the ring-leader and generall thereof and in the place where he was slaine he would needs build a church to the honour of Christianitie And the more by his owne example to mooue others himselfe was the very first man that put hand to this worke and likewise with edicts and fauourable proclamations he furthered and doth still aduance the preaching of the Gospell and the propagation of religion Who so is desirous to be more fully instructed concerning the Christianitie of this kingdome let him read the third and eight bookes of Osorius de Reb. gest Eman. the second booke of Philippo Pigafetta his story of Congo most properly and decently translated by the iudicious master ABRAHAM HARTWELL Of the Christian religion in the kingdome of Angola THose Portugal priests that remaine in the Iland Loanda as aboue we declared bend themselues more to the conuersion of Angola then of Congo The reason is as I suppose because the enterprise is new and more neerely concerneth the Portugals who there make war vnder the conduct of Paulo Diaz to get possession of the mountaines of Cabambe which abound with rich mines of very fine siluer It seemeth that god hath fauoured the amplification of his holy name in those parts with some myraculous victories For first in the yeere 1582 a fewe Portugals in an excursion that they made put to flight an innumerable companie of the Angolans And by this victory they brought in a manner the halfe of that kingdome into their handes and many Princes and nobles of the land vpon this were moued to request and make suit to be baptized Among whom was Songa prince of Banza the kinges Father in law whose brother and children were baptized already Tondella also the second person of Angola was conuerted many Idols were throwne to the ground and insteede thereof they erected crosses and built some churches And within this little while all the Prouince of Corimba is in a manner conuerted Also in the yeere 1584 an hundred and fiftie Portugals together with such succors as were conducted by Paule Prince of Angola who was not long before conuerted discomfited more then a million of Ethiopians In an other place we declared the readie meanes and oportunities that the Princes of Ethiopia and of India haue to assemble and bring togither such infinite armies They say that certaine Ethiopians being demaunded by a Portugal how it came to passe that so great a multitude turned their backes to so few men they answered that the Portugals strength did it not which with a blast they would haue confounded but a woman of incomparable beawty apparelled in shining light and brightnes and an old man that kept her company with a flaming sword in his hand who went aloft in the ayre before the Portugals and ouerthrew the squadrons of the Angolans putting them to flight and destruction In the yeere 1588 were conuerted Don Paulo Prince of Mocumba and with him a thousand persons more The Christian religion of Monomotapa IN the dominions of the Monomotapa the light of the faith being with incredible ease kindled was also as suddenly 〈◊〉 by the deuises of the Mahumetans For some Portugals going to the court of that monarche and giuing himselfe with some of his Princes and vassals a taste of the gospel were an occasion afterwards that Gonsaluo de Sylua a man no lesse famous for the integrity of his life then for his bloud and parentage went ouer thither from Goa in the yeere 1570. This man arriuing with a prosperous voiage in the kingdome of Inambane conuerted and baptized the king his wife children and sister with his Barons and nobility and the greatest part of his people Through whose perswasion Gonsaluo left his companions prosecuting his voiage towards the Monomotapa onely with sixe Portugals Thus hauing passed Mozambique and the mouth of the riuer Mafuta and of Colimane they came to Mengoaxano king of Quiloa where they were courteously receiued entertained And though they had licence in this place to preach the gospell yet would not Gonsaluo here stay iudging that vpon the cōuersion of the Monomotapa that of the neighbor kings would follow without delaie Embarking themselues therefore vpon the riuer Cuama they sailed along the coast of Africa eight daies till they came to Sena a very populous village where Gonsaluo baptized about fiue hundred slaues belonging to the Portugal merchants and prepared for the receiuing of the gospel the king of Inamor one of the Monomotapaes vassals In the ende Antonio Caiado a Portugall gentleman came from the court to guide Gonsaluo towardes the same place Whither being in short time come he was presently visited on the emperours behalfe and bountifullie presented with a great summe of gold and many oxen But he returning back these presents gaue the Monomotapa to vnderstand that he should know of Caiado what he desired The emperour was astonished at this his magnanimity receiued him afterwards with the greatest honor that could possibly be deuised And causing him to sit vpon the same carpet whereon also his owne mother sate he presently demaunded how many women how much ground and how many oxen thinges mightily esteemed of in those countries he would haue Gonsaluo answered that he would haue no other thing but himselfe Whereupon the emperour turning to Caiado who was their interpreter said that surely it could not be otherwise but that he who made so little account of thinges so highly valued by others was no ordinary man and so with much courtesie he sent him back to his lodging Not long time after
the emperour let Gonsaluo to vnderstand that he and his mother were resolued to become Christians and that therefore he should come to baptize them But he to instruct them better in the faith deferred it off for some daies Finally fiue and twentie daies after his arriuall with vnspeakeable 〈◊〉 and preparation he gaue the water of baptisme to the king and to his mother He was called Sebastian and shee Maria. And presently after about three hundred of the principall in this emperours court were baptized Gonsaluo for his wonderfull abstinence charity wisedome and for many other his singular vertues was so reuerenced and esteemed by those people as if he had come downe from heauen among them Now as matters proceeded thus prosperously and with so desireable successe behold an horrible tempest arose which drowned the ship There were in the court fower Mahumetans most deere vnto the king These men finding out some occasion suggested vnto him that Gonsaluo was a Magioian who by witchcraftes and 〈◊〉 could turne kingdomes topsie turuie and that he was come to prie into his estate and to stir vp his people to rebellion and so by this meanes to bring his kingdome vnder subiection to the Portugals With these and such like suggestions they brought the king who was but a young man to determine the death of Gonsaluo The effect whereof was that after long praier reposing himselfe a little he was by eight of the kings seruants slaine and his body throwne into the riuer Mensigine Neere vnto the same place were with like violence put to death fiftie new-conuerted Christians This rage and furie being ouer the king was aduertised by the Principall of his kingdome and then by the Portugals of the excesse and outrage he had therein committed He excused himselfe the best he could causing those Mahumetans to be slaine who had seduced him and he sought out some others also who lay hid to put them to death Whereupon it seemed that by the death of father Gonsaluo the conuersion of this great king and of his empire should haue bin furthered and no whit hindered if the Portugals would rather haue preuailed by the word of God then by force of armes The which I say bicause insteed of sending new preachers into those countries to preserue that which was alreadie gotten and to make new conuersions they resolued to reuenge themselues by warre There departed therefore out of Portugall a good fleete with a great number of noble Portugals therein conducted by Francisco Barretto At the fame of this warre mooued against him the Monomotapa full of feare sent to demaund peace of Barretto But he aspiring to the infinite mines of gold in that kingdome contemned all conditions offered him The effect of this enterprise was that this armie which was so terrible to a mightie Monarke was in fewe daies consumed by the intemperature of the aire which is there insupportable to the people of Europe Of the fortresses and colonies maintained by the Spaniards and Portugals vpon the maine of Africa by meanes whereof the Christian religion hath there some small footing VVhich albeit in other respects they haue beene mentioned before yet heere also in this one regard it seemeth not from our purpose briefely to remember them TO the propagation of Christianity those fortresses colonies woonderfully helpe which the Castilians but much more the Portugals haue planted on the coast of Africa For they serue very fitly either to conuert infidels vpon diuers occasions or by getting an habite of their languages and customes to make a more easie way to their conuersion For those who are not sufficient to preach serue for interpreters to the preachers And thus God hath oftentimes beene well serued and with excellent fruit and effect by the indeuour of some soldiers On the coast of Africa vpon the Mediterran sea the Spaniards haue Oran Mersalchibir Melilla c. and the Portugals Tanger and çeuta and without the streights of Gibraltar Arzilla and Mazagan and in Ethiopia Saint George de la mina They haue also a setled habitation in the citie of Saint Saluador the Metropolitan of the kingdome of Congo and in Cumbiba a countrie of Angola Beyond the cape de Buena esperança they hold the fortresses and colonies of Sena Cefala and Mozambiche Heere besides their secular clergie is a conuent of Dominicans who indeuour themselues to instruct the Portugals and the Pagans also which there inhabite and do trafficke thither Of the Islands of the Atlanticke Ocean where the Spaniards and Portugals haue planted religion THe Christian name is also augmented and doth still increase in the Atlantick Ocean by meanes of the colonies conducted thither partly by the Spaniards and partly by the Portugals The Spaniards vndertooke the enterprize of the Canaries in the yeere of our Lord 1405. vsing therein the assistance of Iohn Betancort a French gentleman who subdued Lançarota Fuerteuentura They were taken againe certaine yeeres after and were first subdued by force of armes afterwards by the establishment of religion so that at this present all the inhabitants are Christians Also the Portugals haue assaied to inhabite certaine other islands of that Ocean especially Madera which was discouered in the yeere 1420. This at the first was all ouer a thicke and mightie wood but now it is one of the best manured islands that is knowne There is in the same the citie of Funcial being the seate of a bishop Puerto santo which is fortie miles distant from Madera was found out in the yeere 1428. and this also began presently to be inhabited The isles of Arguin being sixe or seauen and all but little ones came to the knowledge of the Portugals in the yeere 1443. Heere the king hath a fortresse for the traffike of those countries The islands of Cabo Verde were discouered in the yeere 1440. by Antonio di Nolli a Genoway or as others affirme in the yeere 1455. by Aloizius Cadamosto These be nine in number the principall of them is Sant Iago being seuentie miles in length where the Portugals haue a towne situate vpon a most pleasant riuer called Ribera grande which consisteth at 〈◊〉 least of fiue hundred families The isle of Saint Thomas being somewhat greater then Madera was the last island discouered by the Portugals before they doubled the cape De buena Esperança They haue heere a colonie called Pouasaon with a bishop who is also the bishop of Congo and it conteineth seuen hundred families Vnder the gouernment of Saint Thomas are the neighbour islands of Fernando Pó and that del Principe which are as it were boroughs belonging to the same The island Loanda though it be vnder the king of Congo yet is a great part thereof inhabited by the Portugals For heere is the famous port of Mazagan whither the ships of Portugall and Brasile do resort Heere the fleetes are harboured and the soldiers refreshed and heere they haue their hospitall As also heere the Portugall
Iewish Mahumetan and Gentilish religions there 〈◊〉 The Princes of greatest account either inhabiting or at least possessing large territories there are first The grand Neguz or Christian Emperour of Abassia or the higher Ethiopia commonly called Presbyter Iohn or as Zagazabo his owne ambassadour would haue him Pretious Iohn but bicause 〈◊〉 all the Ethiopick relation of Francis Aluarez being the best that euer was written of those parts he is continually named Prete Ianni in imitation of him I also most commonly call him by that name And so likewise though Zagazabo for the more magnificent reputation of his prince will haue his dominions called Ethiopia yet with the consent of some approoued authors and also to distinguish the country of this emperour from many other regions situate both in the higher Ethiopia and in the lower I haue set it downe in my mappe and in my discourses do most vsually speake thereof vnder the name of Abassia The other great Princes intreated of in the said relations are The K. of Spaine The Turkish Emperour The Xarifo otherwise called The Miramonin or the king of Maroco Sus and Fez and the emperour of Monomotapa My methode in the discourse before Leo is after a generall preface of Africa to begin at the Red sea where Leo endeth and thence as well in the description of the maine lands as of the isles by him vntouched to proceed on southerly to the cape of Buena esperança from which cape we returne toward the north describing all along the westerne countries and isles of Africa till we haue brought our whole descriptions to an end vpon the most southwesterly parts 〈◊〉 Barbarie where our author Iohn Leo beginneth his Et quoniam as one saith turpe non est per quos profeceris agnoscere my principall authors out of whom I haue gathered this store are of the ancienter note Ptolemey Strabo Plinie Diodorus Siculus c. and amongst later writers I haue helped my selfe out of sundrie discourses in the first Italian volume of Baptista Ramusio as likewise out of Iohn Barros Castanneda Ortelius Osorius de reb gest Eman. Matthew Dresserus Quadus Isolario del mundo Iohn Huighen van Linschoten out of the Hollanders late voiages to the east Indies and to San Tomé but I am much more beholding to the history of Philippo Pigafetta to the Ethiopick relations of Francis Aluarez of Damianus a Goez and beyond all comparison both for matter and method most of all to the learned Astronomer and Geographer Antonius Maginus of Padua and to the vniuersall relations written in Italian by G. B. B. And heere before I surcease I must admonish the Reader of certaine faults escaped in some copies as namely in the description of the isles in the Barbarian bay Açotatado for Açotado in a marginall note ouer against the description of Tombuto in the seuenth booke of Iohn Leo Money for Gold in the relation of the Christianitie of Egypt Hypostasis twise togither in stead of Hypostases and in the discourse of the Christianitie of Congo Paulo Aquitino for Panso Aquitimo Other literall faults if there be any will not be hard for the Reader himselfe to amend AFRICA A generall description of all Africa togither with a comparison of the ancient and new names of all the principall countries and prouinces therein THat part of inhabited lande extending southward which we call Africa and the Greeks Libya is one of the three generall parts of the world knowen vnto our ancestors which in very deed was not throughly by them discouered both bicause the Inlands coulde not be trauailed in regard of huge deserts full of dangerous sands which being driuen with the winde put trauailers in extreme hazard of their liues and also by reason of the long and perilous nauigation vpon the African coasts for which cause it was by very few of ancient times compassed by nauigation much lesse searched or intirely known Of which few the principall were Hanno a Carthaginian captaine sent by the gouernours of that commonwelth for discouerie of the saide lande and one Eudoxus that fled from Ptolemaeus Lathyrus the king of Alexandria Howbeit in these latter times it hath beene often by the Portugals sailed round about and diligently searched especially along the shore euen from the streights of Gibraltar to the enterance of the red sea but the first Portugall that euer doubled the cape of Buena esperança and coasted the south and southeast parts of Africa in former 〈◊〉 vnknowne was Vasco da Gama in the yeere 1497. who from hence sailed to Calicut in the east Indies to the vnspeakeable gaine of the Portugals To omit Iohn Leo his etymologies of this name Africa Festus will haue it to be deriued from the Greeke worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth horror or colde and from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the particle priuatiue as who shoulde say Africa is a place free from all horror and extremitie of colde bicause it lieth open to the heauens and is sandie drie and desert Others say that it is called Africa quasi Aprica that is exposed and subiect to the scorching beames of the sunne the most part there of lying betweene the Tropicks Iosephus wil haue it so called from 〈◊〉 one of the posteritie of Abraham and others from Afer sonne to Hercules of Libya But it was by the Greekes called Libya bicause it was in old time conquered by Libs the king of Mauritania In the holie Scriptures it is called Chamesis by the Arabians and Ethiopians 〈◊〉 and by the Indians Besecath In situation shape this land of Africa is almost an islle being by a very small and narrowe neckland passing betweene the Mediterran sea and the gulfe of Arabia 〈◊〉 the red sea conioined to Asia and in extension of ground being almost twise as bigge as Europe albeit for inhabitants it is not halfe so populous Wherefore though in longitude from west to east Africa be shorter then Europe in some places yet extendeth it so farre vnto the south that Europe in that respect is nothing comparable vnto it for Africa containeth almost seuentie degrees in latitude whereas Europe stretcheth but fiue and thirtie degrees moreouer Africa is more vniforme and spacious but Europe is of a more distracted and manifolde shape being in sundry places dispersed restrained by the sea Howbeit notwithstanding Africa hath farre greater extension of ground then Europe yet is it not so populous nor so commodious to inhabite for the lande of Africa is in many places vnhabitable the principall causes whereof are the scarcitie of water the barrennes of the soile being either couered with 〈◊〉 sande dust or ashes or else being subiect to extreme heate of the sunne also there are certaine dangerous heapes of sande which being raised by the winde are driuen vp and downe like the waues of a tempestuous sea In briefe there are such abundance of venemous and hurtfull