battels that were betweene them and the Portingalles it was plainly seene how they coulde choose their aduantages against their enemies as by assaulting them in the night time and in rayny weather to the ende that their arcubuses and guns shold not take fire also by diuiding their forces into many troups to trouble them the more The king doth not vse to go to the warre in his owne person but sendeth his Captains in his steed The people are also accustomed to flie run away incontinently as soone as they see their Captaine slaine neyther can they be perswaded to stay by any reason or argument but presently yeelde vp the fielde They are all footemen neyther haue they any horses at all And therefore the Captaines if they will not go on foote cause themselues to be carried on the shoulders of their slaues after one of the three manners which wee will shew vnto you hereafter This nation goeth out to warre in number almost infinite and very confusedly they leaue no man at home that is fit to carry a weapon they make no preparation of victuailes necessary for the Campe but such as perhaps haue any conuey it with them vpon the sholders of their seruantes and yet they haue sundry sortes of creatures that might bee managed and serue their turnes to drawe and to carry as in the seconde part of this Treatise shalbe described vnto you And thereupon it falleth out that when they come into any country with their whole armie all their foode is quickly quite consumed then hauing nothing leaft to feede vpon they dissolue their hoast euen in the greatest necessity of prosecuting their enterprise and so are inforced by hunger to returne into their owne countries They are greatly giuen to Diuination by birdes If a bird chaunce to flie on their leaft hand or crie in such manner as those which make profession to vnderstand the same doe say that it fore-sheweth ill lucke and aduersity or that they may go no further forwardes they will presently turne backe and repayre home which custome was also in the old time obserued by the ancient Romanes and likewise at this day by sundry other Pagans Now if it shall seeme straunge to any man that so few Portingall souldiours as Paulo Diaz retayneth there with him and others of the Portingall nation which traffick into the Realme relieue him with succours being in number but three hundred at the most accounting their slaues and also the Malcontentes the rebelles and fugitiues of Angola which dayly resort vnto him amount not in al to the quantity of xv thousand men should be able to make so gallant a resistance against that innumerable rabble of Negroes being subiect to the king of Angola which are gathered there together as it is said to the number of a Million of soules I aunswere that great reason may bee alleadged for the same For the armie of the Negroes is all naked and vtterly destitute of all prouision and furniture for armour of defence And as for their weapons of offence they consist onely but of bowes and daggers as I told you But our fewe Portingalles that are there are well lapped in certaine iackets that are stuffed and basted with bombast and stitched and quilted very soundly which keepe their armes very safe and their bodies downewardes as lowe as their knees Their heades also are armed with cappes made of the same stuffe which doo resist the shot of the arrow and the stroke of the dagger Besides that they are girt with longe swords and some horsemen there are among them that carry speares for their weapons Now you must vnderstande that one man on horsebacke is of more worth then a hundred Negroes because the horsemen do affray them greatly especially of those that do discharge guns and peeces of artillarie against them they doo stande continually in an extreame bodily feare So that these few being well armed and cunningly and artificially ordered must needes ouercome the other though they be very many in number This kingdome of Angola is full of people beyonde all credite For euery man taketh as many wiues as hee listeth and so they multiply infinitely But they doe not vse so to do in the kingdome of Congo which liueth after the manner of the Christians And so Signor Odoardo did affirme and belieue that the kingdome of Angola had a Million of fighting men by reason that euery man taking to him as many wiues as he woulde begot many children and likewise because euery man doeth willingly go to the warres in the seruice of his Prince This kingdome also is very rich in mines of Siluer most excellent Copper and for other kindes of mettall there is more in this kingdome then in any other countrey of the world whatsoeuer Fruitfull it is in all manner of foode and sundry sortes of cattell and specially for great heards of Kine True it is that this people do loue Dogs flesh better then any other meate for that that purpose they feede and fatten them and then kill them and sell them in their open shambles It is constantly affirmed that a great dogge accustomed to the Bull was solde by exchaunge for xxij slaues which after the rate of x. Duckates a poll were worth in all 220. Duccates in so high a price and account do they holde that Creature The moneyes that are vsed in Angola are much different from the Lumache of Congo for they of Angola do vse beades of glasse such as are made in Venice as big as a Nut and some of lesser quantity and of diuers and sundry colours and fashions These doe the people of Angola make not onely to vse them for money but also for an ornament of their men and women to weare about their neckes and their armes and are called in their tongue Anzolos but when they are threeded vpon a stringe lyke a payre of Beades they call them Mizanga The King of Angola is by religion a Gentile and worshippeth Idoles and so doo all the people in his kingdome It is true that hee hath greatly desired to become a Christian after the example of the King of Congo But because there hath not beene as yet any possibility to sende Priestes vnto him that might illuminate and instruct him he remayneth still in darkenes The foresaide Signor Odoardo tolde mee that in his time the king of Angola sent an Ambassadour to the King of Congo requesting that he would sende him some religious persons to inform him in the Christian religiō but the King of Congo had none there that hee coulde spare therefore coulde sende him none At this day both these kinges doo trafficke together and are in amity one with another the king of Angola hauing now cleered and discharged himselfe for the iniuries slaughters that were committed vpon those of Congo and vpon the Portingalles at Cabazo The language of the people of Angola is all
had receiued the Water of Holy Baptisme and the knowledge of the liuing God Now the King hauing gathered together all these abhominable Images and put them into diuers houses within the Cittie and commanded that to the same place where a little before hee had fought and vanquished his brothers Armie euery man should bring a burthen of woode which grew to be a great heape when they had cast into it all the said Idoles pictures and whatsoeuer els the people afore that time held for a God he caused fire to be set vnto them and so vtterly consumed them When he had thus done he assembled all his people together and in steed of their Idoles which before they had in reuerence hee gaue them Crucifixes and Images of Saintes which the Portingalles had brought with them and enioyned euery Lord that euery one in the Cittie of his owne Gouernment and Regiment shoulde builde a Church and set vp Crosses as he had already shewed vnto them by his owne example And then he tolde them and the rest of his people that hee had dispatched an Embassadour into Portingall to fetch Priestes that should teach them Religion and administer the most holy and holesome Sacraments to euery one of them and bring with them diuers Images of Christ of the Virgin Mother and of other Saintes to distribute among them In the meane while hee willed them to bee of good comfort and to remaine constant in the faith But they had so liuely imprinted the same in their hartes that they neuer more remembred their former beliefe in false and lying Idoles He ordayned moreouer that there shoulde be three Churches builded One in reuerence of our Sauiour to giue him thanks for the victorie which he had granted vnto him wherein the Kinges of Congo doe lye buried and whereof the Cittie Royall tooke the name for as it was tolde you before it is called S. Sauiours The second Church was dedicated to the Blessed Virgin the Mother of God called Our Ladie of Helpe in memory of the succour which he had against his enemies And the thirde was consecrated to S. Iames in honour and remembraunce of the miracle which that Saint had wrought by sighting in the fauour of the Christians shewing himselfe on horsebacke in the heat of the battell Not long after this the shippes arriued from Portingall with many men that were skifull in the holy scriptures and diuers religious Friers of the orders of S. Frauncis and of Saint Dominike and of Saint Austine with sundry other Priestes who with great charitie and feruencie of spirite sowed and dispearsed the Catholike Faith ouer all the Countrey which was presently embraced by all the people of the kingdome who held the said Priests in so high reuerence that they worshipped them like Saintes by kneeling vnto them and kissing their hands and receiuing their blessing as often as they met them in the streetes These Priestes being arriued into their seueral Prouinces did instruct the people in the faith of Christ and taking vnto them certaine of the naturalles of the Countrey they taught them the true heauenly doctrine whereby they might the better declare the same to their owne Countreymen in their owne proper language So that in processe of time the Catholike Faith was rooted ouer all those Countreyes in such sorte as it perseuereth and continueth there euen till this day although it hath endured some small hinderance as in conuenient place we shall shew vnto you Chap. 4. The death of the King Don Alfonso and the succession of Don Piedro How the Islande of Saint Thomas was first inhabited and of the Bishop that was sent thether Other great accidents that happened by occasion of Religion The death of two Kings by the conspiracie of the Portingalles the Lordes of Congo How the Kinges linage was quite extinguished The banishment of the Portingalles WHile these matters were thus in working for the seruice of God that Christianitie was nowe begun and encreased with so happy successe it pleased God to call away to himselfe the King Don Alfonso who at the time of his death yeelded great signes which beautified and exalted his former life For he dyed in great faith declaring that his hower was now come and discoursed of the Christian Religion with so great confidence and charitie as it euidently appeered that the Crosse and Passion the true beliefe in our Sauiour Iesus Christ was imprinted in the roote of his heart To Don Piedro his sonne successour he did especially principally recommend the Christian doctrine which in deed following the example of his father he did maintain and vphold accordingly In his time there began to sayle into these quarters a great number of vessels and the Islande of S. Thomas was inhabited with Portingalles by the Kinges commandment For before those dayes it was all waste and desert within lande and inhabited onely vpon the shore by a few saylers that came from the countries adioyning But when this Islande in processe of time was well peopled with Portingalles and other nations that came thether by licence of the King and became to be of great trafficke and was tilled and sowed the king sent thether a Bishoppe to gouerne the Christians that were in that Islande and those also that were in Congo which the said Bishoppe did accomplish presently vpon his arriuall and afterwardes in Congo where hee tooke possession of his Pastorall charge When he was come into the kingdome of Congo it was a thing incredible to see with howe great ioy hee was entertained by the Kinge and all his people For from the sea side euen vnto the Cittie being the space of a hundred and fiftie miles he caused the streetes to bee made smooth and trimme and to be couered all ouer with Mattes commanding the people that for a certaine space seuerally appointed vnto them they shoulde prepare the wayes in such sort that the Bishoppe shoulde not set his foote vpon any part of the grounde which was not adorned But it was a farre greater wonder to behold all the countrey thereaboutes and all the trees and all the places that were higher then the rest swarming with men and weomen that ran forth to see the Bishop as a man that was holy and sent from God offering vnto him some of them lambes some kiddes some chickins some Partriches some venison and some fish and other kindes of victuailes in such aboundance that hee knew not what to do withall but leaft it behind him whereby he might well know the great zeale and obedience of these new Christians And aboue all other thinges it is to be noted for a memorable matter that the Bishoppe going on his way there met him an innumerable multitude of men weomen and girles and boyes and persons of fourescore yeares of age and aboue that crossed him in the streetes and with singular tokens of true beliefe
arrowes and their other weapons as we told you when we spake of the Bramas They make great store of cloth of the Palme trees whereof wee made mention before but these are lesser and yet very fine They haue greate aboundance of Kine and of other cattell before named They are in Religion Pagans their apparell after the fashion of the people of Congo They maintaine warre with their bordering neighbours which are the Anzichi and the inhabitants of Anzicana when they enterprise warre against the Anzichi then they craue aide of the people of Congo and so they remaine halfe in freedome and halfe in daunger of others They worship what they list and hold the Sunne for the greatest God as though it were a man and the Moone next as though it were a woman Otherwise euery man chooseth to himselfe his owne idol and worshippeth it after his owne pleasure These people would easily embrace the Christian Religion For many of them that dwell vpon the borders of Congo haue beene conuerted to Christendome and the rest for want of Priestes and of such as should instruct them in true religion do remaine stil in their blindnes Chap. 11. Of the third Prouince called Sundi THis Prouince of Sundi is the neerest of all to the Citty of Congo called Citta di San-Saluatore the Citty of Saint Sauiours and beginneth about 40. miles distant from it and quite out of the territory thereof and reacheth to the riuer Zaire and so ouer the same to the other side where the Caduta or Fall is which wee mentioned before and then holdeth on vpwardes on both sides towards the North bordering vpon Anzicana and the Anzichi Towardes the South it goeth along the said riuer Zaire vntill you come to the meeting of it with the Riuer Bancare and all along the bankes thereof euen to the rootes of the mountaine of Christall In the bounds of the Prouince of Pango it hath her principall Territory where the Gouernour lyeth who hath his name from the Prouince of Sundi and is seated about a daies iourney neere to the Fall of the Riuer towardes the South This Prouince is the chiefest of all the rest and as it were the Patrimony of all the kingdome of Congo and therefore it is alwaies gouerned by the Kinges eldest Sonne and by those Princes that are to succeede him As it fell out in the time of their first Christian King that was called Don Iohn whose eldest sonne that was Gouernour here succeeded him and was called Don Alfonso And euer sithence the Kinges of Congo haue successiuely continued this custome to consigne this Gouernement to those Princes which are to succeede in the kingdome As did the king that nowe is called Don Aluaro who was in this Gouernment before Don Aluaro the King his father died and was called Mani-Sundi And here by the way you must note that in all the Kingdome of Congo there is not any person that possesseth any proper goodes of his owne whereof hee may dispose and leaue to his heyres but all is the Kinges he distributeth all offices all goodes and all landes to whomsoeuer it pleaseth him Yea and to this law euen the Kinges owne sonnes are subiect So that if any man do not pay his tribute yearely as hee ought the King taketh away his Gouernement from him and giueth it to another As it happened to the king that now liueth who at the time that Signor Odoardo was at the Courte being of his owne nature very liberall and bountifull beyond measure and one that bestowed much vpon his seruants could not discharge those impositions that the king had layed on him Whereupon he was by the king depriued of his reuenews of his gouernement and of his royall fauour that is to say in that language hee was Tombocado as we will declare more at full in the seconde part of this discourse Many Lords there are that are subiect to the Gouernour or Sundi The people do trafficke with their neighbour Countries felling and bartering diuers things As for example falt clothes of sundry colours brought from the Indies and from Portingale and Lumaâ—â—â—â—â— to serue for their coine And for these commodities they doo exchaunge cloth of Palme trees and Iuory and the skinnes of Sables and Marternes and certaine girdles wrought of the leaues of Palme trees which are greatly esteemed in those partes There groweth in these countries great store of Christall and diuers kinds of mettall but Iron they loue aboue all the rest saying that the other mettalles are to no vse for with Iron they can make kniues and weapons and hatchers and such like instruments that are necessary and profitable for the vse of mans nature Chap. 12. Of the fourth Prouince called Pango THe Prouince of Pango in auncient time was a free kingdome that was gouerned of it selfe bordereth on the North vppon Sundi on the South vpon Batta on the West vpon the Countie of Congo and on the East vpon the mountaines of the Sunne The principal Territory where the Gouernours dwelling is hath the same name that the Prouince hath viz. Pango It standeth vpon the Westerne side of the Riuer Barbela and in olde time was called Pangue-lungos and in time afterwardes the worde was corrupted and chaunged into Pango Through the middest of this Prouince runneth the riuer Berbela which fetcheth his originall from the great Lake whence the riuer Nilus also taketh his beginning and from another lesser Lake called Achelunda and so dischargeth it selfe into Zaire And although this be the least Countrey of all the rest yet doth it yeeld no lesse tribute then the rest This Prouince was conquered after the Countrey of Sundi and made subiect to the Princes of Congo and is now all one with it both in speech and manners neither is there any difference at all betweene them The present Gouernour thereof is called Don Francesco Mani-Pango and is descended from the most auncient nobilitie of all the Lordes of Congo and in all consultations touching the State he is sent for because he is nowe an olde man and of great wisedome For hee hath remained in the gouernment of this region for the space of fiftie yeares and no man euer complained of him neither did the king at any time take his gouernement from him The trafficke of this Prouince is like the trafficke of Sundi Chap. 13. Of the fift Prouince called Batta THe boundes of this Prouince are towards the North the Countrey of Pango on the East it taketh quite ouer the Riuer Barbela and reacheth to the Mountaines of the Sunne and to the foote of the Mountaines of Sal-Nitre And on the South from the said Mountains by a line passing through the meeting of the riuers Barbela and Cacinga to the mountaine Brusciato that is to say Scorched Within these boundes is Batta contayned and the Principall Cittie where the Prince dwelleth
required the water of Holy Baptisme at his hands neyther would they suffer him to passe vntill hee had giuen it them so that to satisfie their desires hee was greatly stayed in his viage and was faine to carry water with him in certaine vesselles and salte and other prouision necessary for that action But I will leaue to report vnto you all the welcome and entertainment that was made vnto him in euery place where he came and the liuely ioy that generally and particularly was shewed for the comming of this Bishoppe And now I will tell you that hee arriued at the Cittie of Saint Sauiours where hee was met by the Priestes and by the king and by all the Court and so in procession entred into the Church after due thanks giuen to God hee was conducted to his lodging that was assigned vnto him by the king And then presently he beganne to reforme reduce to good order the Church it selfe and the Friers and Priestes that dwell therein ordayning the saide Church to bee the Cathedrall Church of Saint Crosses which at that time had belonging vnto it twentie and eyght Cannons with their Chaplens and a Mayster of the Chappell with Singers and Organs and Belles and all other furniture meete to execute diuine seruice But this Bishoppe who laboured in the Lords Vineyard sometimes in Congo and sometimes in the Isle of Saint Thomas going and comming continually by shippe the space of twentie daies and still leauing behinde him his Vicars in the place where he himselfe was absent at the last dyed was buried in the Island of S. Thomas After this Bishoppe succeeded another Bishoppe in Congo being a Negro and descended of the blood Royall who before had beene sent by King Alfonso first into Portingall and afterwardes to Rome where hee learned the Latine tongue and the Christian Religion but being returned into Portingall and landed out of his shippe to goe and enter vppon his Bishopricke of S. Sauiours hee dyed by the way wherevpon the kingdome remained without a Pastor for the space of diuers yeares Don Piedro also the King aforesaide dyed likewise without children and there succeeded him his brother called Don Francesco who in like manner lasted but a while and then was created the fift King named Don Diego who was next of all the race Royall A man of haughtie courage and magnificall and wittie of a very good disposition wise in counsell and aboue all other qualities a maintayner of Christian Faith and in briefe so great a warriour he was that in few yeares hee conquered all the countries adioyning He loued the Portingals very much so that he forsooke the vsuall garmentes of his owne naturall countrey attyred himselfe after the Portingall fashion He was very sumptuous aswell in his apparell as also in the ornaments and furniture of his pallace he was besides very courteous and liberall and woulde bestowe largely both vpon his owne subiectes and also vpon the Portingalles With great cost woulde hee prouide and buy such stuffe as pleased him and woulde often say that Rare thinges shoulde not bee in the handes of any but onely of Kinges He vsed to weare one suite of apparel but once or twice and then he would giue it away to his followers Wherevpon the Portingalles perceyuing that he did so greatly esteeme cloth of gold and Arras such other costly houshold stuffe they brought great store therof out of Portingall so that at that time Arras-hangings and cloth of gold and of silke and such like Lordly furniture beganne to bee of great estimation in that kingdome In the time of this King there was a thirde Bishop of Saint Thomas and Congo by nation a Portingall who with the vsuall ceremonies was entertayned both by the way and also in the Court at Saint Sauiours And nowe the Deuill the common enemie of Christian Religion being much grieued with the happie successe and promoting of the Catholike Faith beganne to sowe his Darnell of diuision betweene the Friers and Priestes and their new Bishoppe which sprung vp and arose from the long libertie wherein they had nowe liued so many yeares without a Pastor so that euery man esteemed himselfe not onely to be as good as the Bishoppe but also to be a farre better man then he was and therefore would yeeld no obedience to their Prelate in such sort that there was raysed among them so great a discord dissention as it wrought a grieuous scandale and wicked example among the people But the king like a good Catholike and a faithfull did alwayes maintaine the Bishops part and to cut of these troubles and stirres he sent some of these Priests to prison into Portingal and others into the Isle of Saint Thomas and some others went away with all their substaunce of their owne accorde and by these meanes the doctrine of these ministers in steede of encreasing did greatly diminish through their owne default Neyther was our common aduersaries herewithal contented but woulde needes proceed further by setting discorde betweene Kinges and subiectes For after the death of this King there started vp three Princes at once to challenge the succession The first was the Kinges sonne whom fewe of them fauoured because they desired to haue another so that he was slaine incontinently The two other that remayned were of the bloud Royall One of them was created King by his fauourites and followers with the good lyking of the greater parte of the people but vtterly against the mindes of the Portingalles and certayne of the Lordes who aymed and endeauoured to set vp the other Insomuch as the foresaide Lordes together with the Portingalles went into the Church to kill the King elected making this reckoning with themselues that if they slewe him the other must of necessitie bee made King But at that very selfe same time those of the contrary faction had slaine the King that was already made by the Portingalles perswading themselues assuredly that he being dead there would bee no difficultie for them to obtaine the state for their King because there was none other least that by law could challenge the Scepter Royall And thus in an houre and in two seuerall places were these two Kinges murthered at once In these conspiracies and slaughters when the people saw that there were no lawfull persons leaft to enioy the Royall Crowne they laide all the blame vpon the Portingals who were the causers of all these mischiefes and therevpon they turned themselues against them and slew as many of them as they could finde Onely they spared the Priests and would not touch them nor any other that dwelt in other places Seeing therefore as before is saide that there was none of the blood Royal leaft to be placed in the Gouernment they made choice of one Don Henrico Brother to Don Diego the King deceased And this Henrico going to warre against the Anzichi leaft behinde him in his
steede for Gouernour vnder the title of King one Don Aluaro a young man of twentie and fiue yeares of age sonne to his wife by another husband But Don-Henrico dyed shortly after the warre was ended and therevpon the saide Don Aluaro was with the common consent of them all elected King of Congo and generally obeyed of euery man And thus fayled the Royall Stocke of the auncient Kinges of Congo in the person of Don Henrico But Don Aluaro was a man of good iudgement and gouernenent and of a milde disposition so that he did presently appease all these tumults in his kingdome caused all the Portingals that by the last warres were dispearsed ouer all the countries thereaboutes to bee gathered together aswell religious persons as lay men by their meanes hee was much better confirmed in the Catholike Faith then he was before Moreouer he vsed them very courteously and cleared them of all faultes that were laide to their charge declaring vnto them by gentle discourses that they had not beene the occasion of the former troubles as euery man wold confesse and acknowledge and to that effect he determined with him selfe to write a large information touching al these accidentes to the King of Portingall and to the Bishoppe of S. Thomas which he did accordingly and dispatched certain Messengers vnto them with his letters When the Bishoppe of S. Thomas vnderstode these newes he was very glad thereof and whereas before he durst not aduenture to go into the Kingdome of Congo in the heate of all those troubles he did now presently take ship and sayled thether where he imployed himselfe wholly with all his authoritie to pacifie the former dissentions and to set downe order for all such matters as concerned the worshippe of God and the office of his Priestes And a while after hee had so done hee returned to his habitation in the Isle of Saint Thomas where by meanes of sicknes he finished his dayes And this was the third time that those partes remayned without a Bishop Nowe it came to passe that for want of Bishoppes the King and the Lordes and the people likewise began to waxe cold in the Christian Religion euery man addicting himselfe licentiously to the libertie of the flesh and especially the King who was induced therevnto by diuers yong men of his owne age that did familiarly conuerse with him Among whom there was one principall man that was both a Lorde and his kinsman called Don Francesco Bullamatare that is to say Catche-Stone This man because he was a great Lorde and wholly estranged from all instructions of Christianitie walked inordinately after his owne pleasure and did not sticke to defende openly That it was a very vaine thing to keepe but one wife and therefore it were better to returne to their former auncient custome And so by his meanes did the Deuill open a gate to the ouerthrowe and destruction of the Church of Christ in that kingdome which vntill that time with so great paine and trauaile had beene there established But afterwardes the man did so wander and stray out of the way of truth that he fell from one sinne to another and in the end quite relinquished and abandoned all true Religion Yet at the last the said Francesco dyed and was solemnely buried like a noble Lorde in the Churcb of Saint Crosses although he was notoriously suspected and spotted for his false Religion But it fell out and a maruellous case it is to confirme the righteous in their good belief to terrify the wicked that in the night time certain Spirits of the Deuill vncouered a part of the roofe of S. Crosses Church where he was enterred and with a great and horrible noyse which was heard all ouer the Cittie they drew him out of his Tombe and carryed him away And in the morning the Church doores were found shut the roofe broken and the graue without the body of the man By this extraordinarie signe the King was at the first aduertised of the great fault that hee had committed and so were the rest also that followed him in his course but notwithstanding because there was no Bishop in that kingdome to giue him good counsell and the King but a young man and vnmarried although he remained somewhat sound in the Christian Faith yet he continued still in the licentiousnes of the flesh vntill such time as God had chastized him with another seuere discipline as you shall hereafter vnderstand Chap. 5. The incursions of the people called Giachas in the kingdome of Congo Their conditions and weapons And the taking of the Royall Cittie FOr not long after there came to robbe and spoyle the Kingdome of Congo certaine nations that liue after the manner of the Arabians and of the auncient Nomades and are called Giachas Their habitation or dwelling is about the first Lake of the Riuer Nilus in a prouince of the Empyre of Moenemugi A cruell people they are and a murderous of a great stature and horrible countenance fed with mans flesh fierce in battell and valorous in courage Their weapons are Pauises or Targates Dartes and Daggers otherwise they go all naked In their fashions and dayly course of liuing they are very sauage and wilde They haue no King to gouerne them and they leade their life in the forrest vnder cabbins and cottages like shepheardes This people went wandring vp and downe destroying and putting to fire and sworde and robbing and spoiling all the countries that they passed through till they came to the Realme of Congo which they entred on that side where the Prouince of Batta lyeth Those that first came forth to make resistance against them they ouerthrew and then addressed themselues towards the Cittie of Congo where the King remained at that time in great perplexitie for this victorie that his enemies had gotten in the Countrey of Batta yet some comfort hee tooke to himselfe and went out against his aduersaries with such souldiers as he had in the same place where in times past Mani-Pango fought with the King Don Alfonso he ioyned battell with them In which encounter the King being halfe discomfited retired into the Cittie wherein when he perceyued that he could not remaine in good safetie being vtterly forsaken of the grace of God by reason of his sinnes and not hauing that confidence in him that Don Alfonso had he thought good to leaue it for a pray to his aduersaries and to betake himselfe io an Islande within the Riuer Zaire called Isola del Cauallo that is to say the Isle of Horse where hee continued with certaine Portingall Priestes and other principal Lordes of his Kingdome And thus were the Giachi become Lords and maisters of the Cittie Royall and of the whole Realme For the naturall inhabitants fled away and saued themselues in the mountains desert places but the enemies burned and wasted Cittie and Churches all and spared
confidently sweare that they are lyers and opposite to all auncient Philosophers But in a word I will answere herein with an Argument which Aristotle vseth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. Siquidem in vsu est hominibus mentiri id quod credibile existimare oportet contrarium Incredibilia multa hominibus contingere vera which for the better vnderstanding I must paraphrase in English If it be an vsuall thing among men that when a thing is reported which is very credible and like to be true yet afterwards it falleth out to be a starke lye Then must we needes thinke on the contrary That many Reports or things which are incredible do in the end fall out to be true In which case as Credulitie leaneth a little to Foolerie so Incredulitie smelleth somewhat of Atheisme Another Paradox is That the heate of the Sunne is not the cause of Whitenesse or Blacknesse in the Skinnes of men This Position in the Negatiue he may safely defend against all Philosophers by vertue of the reasons that he hath vouched in this Report which in deede do vtterly ouerthrow their Affirmatiue But because neither any auncient Writer before this age nor he himselfe hath euer been able to declare the true cause of these colours in humane bodies very honestly and modestly he leaueth it vndecided and referreth it to some secret of Nature which hitherto hath been knowne to God alone and neuer as yet reuealed to man And therefore I do wish that some sound Naturall Philosopher such as Fernelius that wrote De abditis rerum causis or as Leuinus Lemnius de Occultis Naturae miraculis or as Franciscus Valesius de Sacra Philosophia would enter into the Closet of Contemplation to finde out the true Naturall cause thereof In the meane while I hold still with my Author in the Negatiue The third Paradoxe touching the Amazones mentioned in this booke I do not see why it should be counted a Paradox to beleeue that there is such a Nation considering how many Authors both Greeke and Latine both Historiographers and Cosmographers both Diuine and Prophane haue acknowledged that Nation and the Countrey wherein it inhabited But our new Writers say that a little after King Alexanders death it was vtterly ouerthrowne and quite extinguished What Vsque ad vnam not one of them left aliue Certainely that depopulation must needes proceede either from the peculiar visitation of God almighties owne hand or else it was the strangest slaughter that euer was heard of that of a whole Nation being so populous as that was there should not remaine some few that escaped But yet suppose that some Hypsiphile or Penthesilea or Thalestris or some such other did wisely conueigh hir selfe away cum Dijs Penatibus cum Matre cum filia and being guided by some happie Venus arriued in a farre remote Region and there obserued the customes and fashions of their owne Natiue Countrey Might not these three together with some other women that were desirous of Rule and gouernment and allured by them to be of their Societie might not they I say in processe of time for it is a long time since Alexander died breede a New Nation of Amazones although we neuer heard in what Climate they remained Yea it may be for any thing that I know this latter generation might growe againe to be so populous that they could send foorth Colonies from them into other places and so plant themselues in diuers Countreys For I heare that there are of them about Guiana and heere in this Report I reade that some of them serue in the warres of the King of Monomotapa And I hope that in good time some good Guianian will make good proofe to our England that there are at this day both Amazones and Headlesse men And thus much for the Paradoxes The last exception which may be made against this booke is the discourse of the Conuersion of the Kingdome of Congo to Christianitie which is amplified and set out with such Miracles and Superstitious Vanities as though it had been plotted of purpose for the glorie and aduancement of the Pope and his Adherents Wherein because it doth concerne matter of Religion I will deale more warily and seriously to satisfie my Reader True it is that the Inhabitants of Congo were all Pagans and Heathens vntill they entertayned Traffike with the Portingales Among whome one Massing Priest became a meanes to conferre with a Noble Man of Congo concerning Christianitie who taking liking thereof as being a Man of good inclination and disposition was very desirous to be further instructed The Priest being wise tooke oportunitie to make way for his Countreymens traffike and also for planting of the Christian Faith in that Region It may be in hope to be preferred and aduanced in a new established Church as commonly our trauelling Priests vse to do that wanting maintenance or being vpon some occasion discontented at home do leape ouer sea into forreine partes not for the desier which they haue to gaine Christian Soules or to preach the Gospell but to procure to themselues either dignities or wealth But I do not say that this Priest was such a one for I neither haue reason nor authoritie so to say For he sent ouer into Portingall for some fellowes to helpe him who being come into Congo laboured so much that in time the King and his people consented to become Christians Then did the Portingall-Priests bestirre themselues nimbly in Baptising the King the Queene the Lordes and the Commons They built Churches they erected Altars they set vp Crosses and at last brought in a Bishop And all this was done I must needes confesse with all pompe and solemnitie after the Romish maner which in deede is so plausible as it is able to allure any simple Man or Woman euen with the very sight thereof Yet will I not denie but that these Priests had a good intent and for my part I do beleeue that they were in bona fide because they conuerted a great part of the People not to Poperie but to Christianitie the true foundation of all Religion And this Action which tendeth to the glory of God and may be a notable example to the World of doing the like shall it be concealed and not committed to memorie because it was performed by Popish Priests and Popish meanes God forbid S. Paule maketh mention of diuers that preached Christ Some of enuie and strife and not purely and Some of loue and good will What then Yet Christ is preached whether it be vnder pretence or sincerely and therein do I ioy So these Men are not to be regarded whether they preached Christ for vaineglory and for maintenance of Poperie or of a sincere minde but certaine it is that Christ was preached by them and therein ought we to ioy In Marke and in Luke S. Iohn saith to Christ Maister we sawe one casting out Deuils in thy Name but we forbad him because he followeth not
with vs. Forbid him not saith Christ for he that is not against vs is with vs. If we see a Turke or a Iewe or a Papist vpon what pretence soeuer seeke to drawe any to Christ or to driue the Deuill of Ignorance out of any let him alone forbid him not mislike him not for in that point hee is not against vs nay peraduenture hee may become one of vs. In the booke of Nombers word was brought to Moses that Eldad and Medad prophecied in the hoast And Iosua sayd My Lord Moses forbid them But Moses sayd Enuiest thou for my sake Would God that all the Lords people were Prophets And are we angrie or shall we finde fault that the Portingall Priests being Papists should be reported to haue conuerted the Realme of Congo to the profession of Christian Religion Shall we enuie them in their well doing I for my part do earnestly wish with all my hart that not onely Papists and Protestants but also all Sectaries and Presbyter-Iohns men would ioyne all together both by word and good example of life to conuert the Turkes the Iewes the Heathens the Pagans and the Infidels that know not God but liue still in darknesse and in the shadow of Death What a singular commendation would it be vnto vs if it might be left in Record that we were the first conuerters of such a Nation and such a people and first brought them to the knowledge of God and the true profession of his glorious Gospell Thus I haue gentle Reader laboured to satisfie such scruples as may arise in thy minde touching this Treatise which if it shall breede either profit or delight vnto thee I shall reioyce to my selfe If not I shall be sorie that I haue employed my precious time so idly Farewell in Christ. Abraham Hartwell Errata Folio 5. in the Margin The commodities of S. Elena Fol. 14. line 2. put out in Fol. 15. lin 11. Carde Fol. 19. lin 23. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Fol. 21. in the Margin Songa Ibidem lin 22. language Fol. 30. lin 14. Equinoctiall Fol. 31. lin 25. Goate Fol. 39. lin 19. Tissue Fol. 40. lin 13. Infulas Fol. 49. lin 31. Peacocke Fol. 57. in the Margin Capo Fol. 63. lin 15. Diameter Ibid. in Margin Cap. 1. Fol. 67. lin 6. and for diuers Fol. 114. line 22. put out the comma Fol. 137. line 11. Naturall Fol. 172. lin 19. and. Fol. 192. lin 18. Marques Fol. 199. lin vlt. est Fol. 204. lin 14. come Fol. 211. lin 5. put out the comma Fol. eod lin 31. put out and. Fol. 212. lin 15. Ptolomée Fol. 216. in the Margine for head reade heauen In the Table Folio vlt. line 26. to the Red sea A REPORTE OF the kingdome of Congo a Region of Africa Gathered by Philippo Pigafetta out of the discourses of M. Edwarde Lopes a Portugall Chap. 1. The iourney by sea from Lisbone to the kingdome of Congo IN the yeare one thousande fiue hundreth threescore and eyghteenth when Don Sebastian king of Portugall embarked himselfe for the conquest of the kingdome of Marocco Edwarde Lopes borne at Beneuentum a place xxiiii myles distant from Lisbone neere vpon the South shore of the riuer Tagus sayled likewise in the moneth of Aprill towardes the hauen of Loanda situate in the kingdome of Congo in a shippe called S. Anthony belonging to an vncle of his and charged with diuerse marchandises for that kingdome And it was accompanied with a Patache which is a small vessell whereunto the ship did continually yeelde good guarde ministred great reliefe conducting and guiding the same with lightes in the night time to the ende it shoulde not loose the way which the ship it selfe did keepe He arriued at the Islande of Madera belonging to the King of Portugal distant from Lisbone about sixe hundred myles where he remained xv dayes to furnish himselfe with freshe vittaile and wine which in great aboundance groweth in that Islande yea and in mine opinion the best in the world whereof they carry abroad great store into diuers countries especially into England He prouided there also sundry other confections conserues of Sugar which in that Islande are made and wrought both in great quantity and also of singular excellency From this Islande they departed leauing all the Canaries belonging to Castile and tooke hauen at one of the Islandes of Capo verde called S. Anthony without hauing any sight thereof before they were come vpon it and from thence to another Islande called Saint Iacopo which commaundeth all the rest and hath a Bishoppe and a Chaplen in it that rule and gouerne them and here they prouided themselues againe of victuailes I doe not thinke it fitte in this place to tell you the number of the Canarie Islands which indeede are many nor to make any mention of the Islandes of Capo verde nor yet to set downe the history and discourse of their situations because I make hast to the kingdome of Congo and the shippe stayed here but onely for passage and especially for that there doth not want good store of Reportes and histories which in particularity doe make relation of these countries Onely this I will say that these Islandes of Capo verde were established by Ptolomee in the tables of his Geography to be the beginning of the West together with the Cape or Promontorie which he termeth Cornu vltimum or the Islandes Macarie or Blessed which we commonly call Fortunate In these Islandes of Capo verde the Portugalles do often arriue and in those countries do trafficke with sundry marchandises as little balles of diuers coloured glasse other such things wherein those people do greatly delight and Hollande cloth and cappes and kniues and coloured clothes In exchaunge whereof they bringe back againe slaues wax hony with other kind of food and cotton-cloth of sundry colours Moreouer right ouer against them within the lande are the countreyes riuers of Guynee and of Capo verde and Sterra Leona that is to say the Mountain Leona which is a huge great mountaine and very famous From the foresaide Islande of San Iacopo they directed their fore-decke towards Bresil for so they must do to gaine the winde and taking such harboroughes as were conuenient for the seasons that raigne in those places to arriue at the ende of their voyage Two are the waies whereby they saile from the Isle of San Iacopo to Loanda a hauen in the kingdome of Congo the one is by the coast of Africa the other by the mayne Ocean still enlarging their course with the North winde which very much ruleth there in those Monethes and for the most parte is called North euen by the Portugalles themselues by the Castilians by the French and by all those people of the North sea And so turning their foreshippe to the South and south-east they holde on forwarde till they be neere the Cape of Good-Hope leauing behind them
Countries But the Portingalles told them that they were men as themselues were and professors of Christianitie And when they perceyued in how great estimation the people held them the foresaide Priest others beganne to reason with the Prince touching the Christian religion and to shew vnto them the errors of the Pagan superstition and by little and little to teach them the faith which wee professe insomuch as that which the Portingalles spake vnto them greatly pleased the Prince and so he became conuerted With this confidence and good spirit the prince of Sogno went to the Court to enforme the King of the true doctrine of the Christian Portingalles and to encourage him that he would embrace the Christian Religion which was so manifest and also so holesome for his soules health Herevpon the king commanded to call the Priest to Court to the end he might himself treat with him personally and vnderstand the truth of that which the Lord of Sogno had declared vnto him Whereof when he was fully enformed he conuerted and promised that he would become a Christian. And nowe the Portingall shippes departed from Congo and returned into Portingall and by them did the King of Congo write to the King of Portingall Don Giouanni the second with earnest request that he would send him some Priestes with all other orders and ceremonies to make him a Christian. The Priest also that remayned behind had written at large touching this busines and gaue the King ful information of all that had happened agreeable to his good pleasure And so the King tooke order for sundry religious persons to be sent vnto him accordingly with all ornaments for the Church and other seruice as Crosses and Images so that hee was throughly furnished with all thinges that were necessary and needefull for such an action In the meane while the Prince of Sogno ceased not day and night to discourse with the Portingall priest whom he kept in his owne house and at his owne table aswell that hee might learne the Christian faith himselfe as also instruct the people therein so that he began to fauour christianitie with all his power And forasmuch as the Christian Religion had nowe taken roote and begun to bud in those Countries and for that both the people also the king himselfe did continue in their earnest desire to purge themselues from that abhominable superstition he did instantly deale with the Priest that he wold proceed in the sowing dispearsing of the Christian doctrine as much as hee could And in this good affection did they wait for the Portingall shippes that shoulde bring them all prouision for baptisme and other thinges therevnto appertayning At the last the shippes of Portingall arriued with the expected prouisions which was in the yeare of our saluation 1491 and landed in the port which is in the mouth of the Riuer Zaire The Prince of Sogno with all shewe of familiar ioy accompanied with all his gentlemen ran downe to meete them and entertained the Portingalles in most courteous manner and so conducted thē to their lodgings The next day following according to the direction of the Priest that remayned behinde the Prince caused a kinde of Church to bee builded with the bodies and braunches of certayne trees which he in his owne person with the helpe of his seruantes most deuoutly had felled in the woode And when it was couered they erected therein three Altars in the worshippe and reuerence of the most holy Trinitie and there was baptised himselfe and his young sonne himselfe by the name of our Sauiour Emanuel and his child by the name of Anthonie because that Sainte is the Protector of the Cittie of Lisbone Now if any man here demande of me what names the people of these Countries had before they receyued Christianitie of a truth it will seeme incredible that I must answere them that is to say that the men and women had no proper names agreeable to reasonable Creatures but the common names of Plantes of Stones of Birdes and of Beastes But the Princes Lordes had their denominations from the places and states which they gouerned As for example the foresaid Prince which was the first Christian in Congo was called Mani-Sogno that is to say the Prince of Sogno when hee was christened was called Emanuel but at this day they haue all in generall such Christian names as they haue learned of the Portingalles After a Masse was celebrated and songe one of the Priestes that came from Portingall went vp and made a briefe Sermon in the Portingall language declaring the summe of the new Religion faith of the Gospel which they had receiued This sermon the Priest that was left behinde hauing nowe learned the Congo speech did more at large expounde to the Lords that were in the Church for the church could not possibly holde the innumerable multitude of the people that were there gathered together at the conuersion of their Prince who afterwardes came abroade vnto them and rehearsed the whole sermon with great loue and charitie mouing and exhorting them to imbrace likewise the true beliefe of the Christian doctrine When this was done all the Portingals put themselues on their way towards the Court to baptise the King who with a most feruent longing attended the same And the Gouernour of Sogno tooke order that many of his Lordes should wait vpon them with Musicke and singing and other signes of wonderfull reioysing besides diuers slaues which he gaue them to carry their stuffe commanding also the people that they should prepare all manner of victuaill to be ready in the streets for them So great was the number of people that ran and met together to beholde them as the whole Champaigne seemed to be in a manner couered with them and they all did in great-kindnes entertaine and welcome the Portingall Christians with singing and sounding of Trompets and Cimballes and other instrumentes of that Countrey And it is an admirable thing to tell you that all the streetes and high wayes that reach from the Sea to the Citty of Saint Sauiours being one hundred and fiftie miles were all cleansed and swept and aboundantly furnished with all manner of victuaile and other necessaries for the Portingals In deede they do vse in those countries when the king or the principall Lordes go abroade to cleanse their waies and make them handsome and therefore much the rather vpon this speciall occasion when the Portingals whom they reuerenced as though they had bene some of the old Heroes did purchase for their King the Iewell of Religion and saluation of his soule and generally for euery one of them the cleere knowledge of God and of eternall life Three dayes iourney from the place whence they departed they descried the kinges Courtiers that came to meet them to present them with fresh victuailes and to doe them honour and so from place to
place they encountred other Lordes that for the same purpose were sent by the King to receiue the Christians who were the messengers and bringers of so great a ioy When they were come within three miles neere to the Cittie all the Court came to entertaine and welcome the Portingalles with all manner of pompe and ioyfulnes and with musicke and singing as in those countreyes is vsed vppon their solemnest feast-daies And so great was the multitude of people which abounded in the streets that there was neyther tree nor hillocke higher then the rest but it was loaden with those that were runne forth and assembled to viewe these strangers which brought vnto them this newe law of their saluation The King himselfe attended them at the gate of his pallace in a Throne of estate erected vpon a high scaffold where hee did publikely receiue them in such manner and sorte as the auncient kinges of that Realme accustomed to doe when any Embassadours came vnto him or when his tributes were paied him or when any other such Royall ceremonies were performed And first of all the Embassador declared the Embassage of the King of Portingall which was expounded and interpreted by the foresaid Priest that was the principall authour of the conuersion of those people After the embassage was thus deliuered the King raysed himselfe out of his seate and standinge vpright vppon his feete did both with his countenaunce and speech shew most euident signes of the great ioy that he had conceyued for the comming of the Christians and so sate downe againe And incontinently all the people with shouting and sounding their trumpets singing and other manifest arguments of reioycing did approue the kinges wordes and shewed their exceeding good liking of this Embassage And further in token of obedience they did three times prostrate themselues vpon the grounde and cast vp their feete according to the vse of those kingdomes thereby allowing and commending the action of their king and most affectionately accepting of the Gospell which was brought vnto them from the Lorde God by the handes of those religious persons Then the king tooke view of all the presentes that were sent him by the King of Portingall and the Vestimentes of the Priestes and the Ornamentes of the Altar and the Crosses and the Tables wherein were depainted the Images of Saintes and the Streamers and the Banners and all the rest and with incredible attention caused the meaning of euery one of them to bee declared vnto him one by one And so withdrewe himselfe and lodged the Embassadour in a pallace made ready of purpose for him and all the rest were placed in other houses of seuerall Lordes where they were furnished with all plentie and ease The day following the King caused all the Portingalles to bee assembled together in priuate where they deuised of the course that was to be taken for the christening of the king and for effecting the full conuersion of the people to the christian faith And after sundry discourses it was resolued and concluded that first of all a Church shoulde be builded to the end that the christening and other ceremonies therevnto belonging might be celebrated therein with the more solemnity and in the meane while the king and the Court should be taught and instructed in the Christian Religion The king presently commaunded that with all speed prouision should be made of all manner of stuffe necessary for this building as Timber Stone Lime and Bricke according to the direction and appoiutment of the Worke-maisters and Masons which for that purpose were brought out of Portingall But the Deuill who neuer ceaseth to crosse all good and holy proceedinges raysed new dissentions and conspiracies and lettes against this promoting of the Christian Faith which in deede began to ouerthrowe and destroy the power that hee had long helde in that Realme and in steed thereof to plant the most healthfull tree of the Crosse and the worship of the Gospell And this hee did by procuring a rebellion among certaine people of the Anzichi and of Anzicana which dwell vpon both the bankes of the Riuer Zaire from the foresaid falles vpwardes to the great Lake and are subiect and belonging to the King of Congo Now this monstrous Riuer being restrained and kept backe by these falles doeth swell there mightily and spreadeth it selfe abroade in a very large and deepe channell In the breadth whereof there are many Islandes some small and some great so that in some of them there may be maintayned about thirtie thousande persons In these Islandes and in other places adioyninge to the riuers thereaboutes did the people make an insurrection and renounced their obedience to the king and slew the Gouernours that hee had sent thether to rule And all this was done by the Deuill of purpose to interrupt the propagation of Christianity which was now begunne and to hinder it by the meanes of this rebellion But the King by the inspiration of God prouided a good remedy for this mischiefe and sent thether his eldest sonne called Mani-Sundi within whose Prouince that countrey lyeth And yet afterwardes the trouble and tumult fell out to be so great daungerous that the king must needes go himselfe in person to pacifie these broyles howbeit hee resolued to be baptised before his going and so was enforced to forbeare the building of the Church of Stone and with all speed in steed thereof to erect one of timber which Church hee in his owne person with the aduice of the Portingalles did accomplish in such manner and sort as it ought to be and therein did receiue the Sacrament of holy Baptisme and was named Don Giouanni and his wife Donna Eleonora after the names of the king and Queene of Portingall and the Church it selfe intituled and dedicated to S. Sauiour But here it is to be noted that all these stirs and rebellion of the people aforesaide arose by the cunning sleight instigation of the Deuill not of the poore soules themselues that dwell in those Islandes of the Great Lake as it is written in the first booke of the histories of the Indies lately set forth in latine For the Lake is distant from the confines of the Cittie of Congo about two hundred miles neyther had the inhabitants thereaboutes any knowledge of Congo but onely by hearesay in those dayes and very little they haue of it as yet at this day And besides that the booke is faultie in the name of that people that rebelled for it calleth them Mundiqueti whereas in deede the Portingalles do rightly call them Anziqueti The same day wherein the king was baptised diuers other Lords following his example were baptised likewise hauing first learned certaine principles of the Christian Fayth And when all this was done the kinge went in person to dispearse the turbulent attemptes of his aduersaries against whom he found the Prince his sonne and
the Lorde of Batta already fighting with a formall Armie But at the arriual of the king the enemies yeelded and submitted themselues to the obedience which before they performed and so he returned in triumph to the Cittie of Congo and the Prince his son with him who presently was desirous to become a Christian and was christened by the name of the first Prince of Portingall called Alfonso and with him also were christened many gentlemen and Caualieros and other of his seruantes that came with him out of his Prouince But see the Deuill once againe the vtter enemy of Christian Religion howe hee prosecuted his former intent to hinder Christianitie among these people For when hee perceyued that hee preuayled nothing by these wars he incensed the mind of the Kings second Son that hee woulde not agree to receiue the new Keligion which his Father his Mother his Brother so many other Lords had imbraced sowing his Cockle Darnel not onely in him but also in many other Lordes that fauoured him who being addicted rather to the sensualitie of the flesh then the puritie of the minde resisted the Gospel which beganne now to be preached especially in that Commaundement wherein it is forbidden that a man should haue any mo wiues but one A matter that among them was more harde and difficult to be receyued then any other Commandement whatsoeuer because they were vsed to take as many wiues as they would And thus the two brethren being diuided betweene themselues eyther of them did stiffly maintaine his seuerall opinion The eldest brother Don Alfonso did with great feruencie defende Christianitie burned all the Idoles that were within his Prouince The second brother called Mani-Pango because he was Gouernour of the Countrey of Pango did resist it mightely and had gotten the greatest part of the principall Lordes of Pango to bee on his side For there were diuers of the newe christned Lordes whose Ladies seeing themselues seperated and forlorne of their Husbande-Lordes by force of the Christian Lawe did take it as a great iniury and scorne done vnto them and blasphemed and cursed this new Religion beyond all measure These Lords vnited themselues together with others and began to plot treachery against Don Alfonso hoping that if they could ridde him out of the world the Christian Faith would vtterly cease of it selfe And therefore Mani-Pango and his complices gaue intelligence to his Father that the Prince Don Alfonso fauoured the Christian faction onely to the end that vnder the colour of his countenance and fauour they might rayse an insurrection and rebellion against him and so driue him out of his kingdome The king gaue credite to their informations and depriued his sonne of the Gouernement wherein hee was placed But the prouidence of God which reserued him for a greater matter did relieue him by the good mediation and counsell of his frendes who entreated the King his Father that he would not be moued to anger before he had examined the answeres reasons of the Prince his sonne Wherein the Kinge was especially perswaded by Mani-Sogno who as we tolde you was before christened and called Don Emanuel and by good happe was in Court at that present This man being the auncientest Courtier and Lorde of that time singularly well beloued of the king and all his people did with sound reasons and dexterity of wit procure the king to reuoke the sentence that was giuen against the Prince Don Alfonso so that the Kinge being afterwardes throughly informed both of the honest mind and actions of his sonne perceiued that the accusations plotted against him were false and malicious and therevpon restored him againe to his former gouernement with a speciall charge that hee shoulde not proceed with such rigour against the Gentiles for the propagation exaltation of the christian Religion But he being full of feruent charity and godly spirit ceased not for all that to aduance the faith of the Gospell and to put the commandements of God in execution Chap. 3. Don Iohn the first Christian King being dead Don Alfonso his sonne succeeded Of his warres against his Brother Of certaine miracles that were wrought and of the Conuersion of those people NOw together with the death of the king there was also published the succession to the Crowne of Don Alfonso being then present who in his owne person did accompanie the corps of his deade Father to the buriall withall the Lords of the Court and all the Christian Portingalles which was solemnised after the manner of Christendome with seruice and prayers for the dead and all this with such funerall pompe as was neuer seene before among those people But they which heretofore were aduersaries to this newe King doubting of their owne safetie if they should remaine in the Court vnited themselues with Mani-Pango who was nowe departed into the Prouince of his owne Gouernment and while his father liued was wholly employed in fighting against the Mozombi and certaine other people that had rebelled against him When he heard of the death of his Father and vnderstoode that his brother was already placed in the Seate Royall he tooke truce with his enemies and gathering together a great armie beganne to go in armes against his Brother and lead with him almost all the whole Realme which in deed fauoured him to the number of two hundred thousande men King Alfonso awaited his comming at the Royall Cittie with a very small number sauing that he was directed aduised and assisted by the good auncient Lord Mani-Sogno who vniting himselfe vnto him in the strength and vertue of the holy Christian Faith and making a list of all those armed frends that he had to defend him against so great an enemy found by computation that they did not amount to the number of ten thousand among which there were but about one hundred Christians naturall of that Countrey besides some few Portingalles which by chance arriued there at that time All these people were indeed too few for such an encounter and therefore not very resolute to abide any attempt but became very doubtfull and timorous by reason of the great power that Mani-Pango brought with him But the king trusting confidently in his strong faith and in the Celestiall aide and assistance comforted and strengthened his souldiers by all the meanes he could and so did the good olde Lorde his vncle who ceased not both night and day with words and deeds to encourage that smal number which they had to expect and endure the assaults of their aduersaries with all manhoode and courage assuring them that God would bee their helpe and succour Thus while they attended the procedinges of their enemies Mani-Pango and his forces set forwardes to the besieging of the Cittie with so great a noise of warlicke instrumentes and cries and shoutinges and terrible threatninges that the poore fewe which were in the Cittie aswel Christians as others fainted in
their harts and failed in their courage and came and presented themselues before the king saying that hee had not power enough to resist so power-full an enemie and therefore they thought it better for him to growe to some concorde and composition and to abandon the new Religion which hee had lately begun to professe to the ende hee might not fall into the handes of his cruell aduersaries But the king being resolute and full of religious constancie reproued their cowardise and called them dastardes and base people and willed them if they had any mind or desire to forsake him go to the enemie that they should so doe As for himselfe and those few that would follow him hee did not doubt but assuredly trust though not with the possibilitie or strength of man yet with the fauour of God to vanquish and ouercome that innumerable multitude And therefore he would not request them eyther to ioyne with him or to put their liues in hazarde against his aduersaries for his sake but onely they might rest themselues and expect the issue that shoulde followe thereon But they for all this speech became neuer a whit the more couragious but rather waxed more timorous were vtterly determined to forsake the king and to saue themselues Now they were scarse out of the Cittie and on their way homewardes when by great good fortune they met with the good old Lord Mani-Sogno who with some few of his followers had beene abroade to surueigh the enemies Campe and to make prouision for such thinges as were necessary in such an action To him they declared all that they had before declared to the King That they thought it to bee a point of expresse madnesse to put their liues and goods in daunger with so fewe people against an infinite multitude and that without all doubt it were a safer way to compounde with the enemie and so saue themselues The good Lorde with great pietie and Christian valour aunswered them that they should not so quickly fall into dispaire but as the king had tould them before they should looke vpon Iesus Christ the Sauiour of the worlde whose faith and religion they had so lately and with so great zeale gayned and purchased who also most assuredly and vndoubtedly would succour and defend those that were his And so entreated them that they woulde not like rash headed people chaunge their mindes from that holy doctrine which they had with such feruency of late receyued adding moreouer that they had not to fight with a straunge nation nor with a people that came from farre Countries but with their owne kinsmen and countreymen so that they might alwaies haue opportunity if need so require to yeelde themselues and in all frendship and kindnesse to bee embraced Behold I pray you saith Mani-Sogno mine age now arriued to a hundred yeares and yet I beare armes for the zeale and defence of the Religion that I haue entred and for the homage and honour that I owe to my king And you that are in the flower of your yeares do you shew your selues to be so base and feareful and vnfaithfull to your owne narurall king If algates you be not minded to fight your selues yet incourage your vassals and subiects and doo not dismay them Let vs expect the first encounter of the enemie and therevpon we shall not want fit occasion to take some other course and prouide for our safetie With these comfortable wordes the Lords recouered their spirites that were quailed and returned backe with him to seeke the king who was in the Church at his prayers beseeching God to sende him helpe and succour They waited for him vntill he came forth and then kneeled downe vpon their knees before him requesting pardon for their fault and want of dutie which they had shewed vnto him being their Prince in that they would haue forsaken him when he was in this extreame daunger and promising that they would put on a new and constant courage for the defence of him and of the law and religion which they had receyued and that they would fight for the same euen vntill death But the king who perceyued well that this comfort and helpe came from God himselfe first gaue him hartie thanks secretly from the bottome of his hart and vowed that he would sacrifice himselfe for the maintenance of his faith and Gospell And then with a cheerefull countenance he saide I doe beleeue Lord that thy greatnes is infinite and that thou canst doo all thinges and canst make of little much and of much little whensoeuer it pleaseth thee Neyther do I any thing doubt but that thou wilt yeeld aide to this my weakenes and assist the same with thine inuincible force so that through thy gracious fauour with these few and weake persons I shall become the conquerour not onely of this armie but also of a farre greater if it should come against me And I promise thee O my God besides that which I haue already spoken that I will all the dayes of my life promote and exalt thy true faith thy holy name and thy most holesome doctrine In testimony and memory of which his confession he did presently cause a Crosse to bee planted erected in the middest of the market place right against the Church which his father had builded This Crosse was of a wonderful length for it was fourescore span long and the Crosse-barre in proportion aunswerable therevnto Nowe the eternall God who knew the faith from whence this vow of the good king did proceed vouchsafed to comfort him with a celestiall vision which was a very cleere and admirable light At the shining whereof hee cast himselfe vpon his knees and wept and lifted vp his handes and eyes to heauen but spake not a word for that hee was ouercome with teares and sighes and wholly rauished in spirite But that which he himselfe saw was seene of no body els neyther woulde hee euer publish the same to any man All those that were in his company did euen as he did and for a while lost the sight of their eyes and by reason of that miraculous light remayned in a traunce At the last euery man lifted vp his eyes and perceyued that there were imprinted on him fiue Swordes very bright and cleere which for the space almost of an houre continued vnmoueable as it were in a circle but all they could neyther vnderstand nor expounde what was the meaning thereof The fiue Swordes the King tooke for his armes as is to be seene in his Signet Royall which hath beene vsed euer sithence that time yea euen by the Kinge that nowe liueth and raigneth The Crosse also that was thus planted by vowe is to be seene in the same place wherein it was erected at the front of the Church which Church was called Saint Crosses of the Crosse there planted and of the miracle that there appeared This Crosse the last King that
dead is Don Aluaro father to the King that now is renewed and made another of the same bignes that the first was of in remembraunce of such a miracle For the old Crosse was in time decaied and consumed and quite fallen downe The aforesaid vision did greatly confirme the minds of the Cittizens which before were quailed and did wonderfully appall and fully terrifie the enemies when they vnderstood the news thereof Notwithstanding Mani-Pango sent vnto the King signified vnto him and to all the rest that were with him that if they did not incontinently yeelde themselues and deliuer the Cittie vnto him and create and sweare him for their King and withall abandon and relinquish their newe Christian Religion he would put them all to the edge of the sworde but if they would so do hee woulde freely pardon them Herevnto the Lordes that stood on the Kinges parte answered that they were most ready to die in defence of their Prince and of the Christian Faith But in particular the King sent him this message that he nothing feared his terrible threates but rather as his kind brother was very sory euen from his hart to see that he walked in darkenes and strayed out of the way of light that the kingdome did by law belong vnto him and was not fraudulently vsurped by him And that the Religion which he had receyued was assuredly deliuered him from God who no doubt woulde protect and maintaine him therein And withall besought him that he would estraunge himselfe from his false beliefe and worshipping of the Deuill wherein he had beene nourished and brought vp and that he wold be baptized for so hee shoulde become the childe of God and mertie the Glorie Celestiall Then the King sent to fetch his iewelles and other rich ornamentes of housholde which he had at home and the better to encourage these Lordes that tooke his part hee most graciously distributed them amongst them all wherewith they remayned very greatly satisfied and bounde themselues to prosecute his enterprise and to followe his ensigne with a most ardent courage This being done the very same night the one halfe almost of the base people that were in armes being surprised with a very great feare did secretly flie into the Campe of Pango and hauing thus reuolted gaue Mani-Pango to vnderstand that the King and all the rest of his retinue were vtterly dismaied and discouraged that euery man was deuising with himselfe how he might escape that they had none other meane to saue themselues but onely by taking the lane that leadeth downe to the Riuer which as wee haue tolde you was distant from the Cittie about the space of a mile At the end of which lane betweene the Riuer and the hill there was a little Moore about two foot deepe on the right hande and on the left hand were the mountaines and the garrisons of Pango that had besieged beset the hill so that there was none other issue for them to escape but onely by passing ouer the Moore which was in length as farre as the shotte of an Arcubuse could reach and as much in bredth and then to come to the Riuer Mani-Pango beleeuing all this that they had related vnto him sent presently to stop that passage with planting sharpe stakes in the bottome of the Moore which were couered with water to the ende that if his enemies shoulde flie in the darke of the night because they would not be seene they shoulde be all staked and taken therein All that night he with all his armie remayned in great ioy and awaited the fresh morning that he might giue the assault vpon the Cittie bethinking himselfe in the meane while what course might be most easie and conuenient for him to attempt the same But Don Alfonso on the other side hauing confessed himselfe and consulted with all the most faithful and loyall frendes that hee had expected his enemie who assuring himselfe of the victorie and hauing now granted all the Cittizens goodes and all the states and Gouernementes of the kingdome to his great Lords about him very earely in the morning with a furious violence gaue assault to the Cittie on that side which is towardes the North where the great and wide plaine restrayning it selfe into a narrow straite entreth as it were into a rounde circle naturally compassed about with certaine hilles and then maketh a large way as broade as a man maye shoote with a Gunne vntill you come to the site or place where the Cittie standeth which is a little plaine of two miles compasse wherein as it hath beene tolde you the Cittie and the Church and the Lordes houses and the kings court are situate In this place did Don Alfonso with those few that he had with him settle himselfe against the Pagans and against his Enemie Brother who before hee coulde confront the Kinge was vtterly discomfited dispearsed and put to flight Wherevppon the king perceyuing that he was ouerthrowne and driuen to runne away was wonderfully amazed not knowing himselfe how this matter came to passe seeing that he had not ioyned battel nor fought with his enemies and therefore must needes thinke that it so fell out by some hidden and secreate meanes to him vnknowne Notwithstanding the day following Mani-Pango returned to the assault in the same place but hee was in the same manner once again discomfited and constrained to flie whereby hee knew assuredly that this his losse and ouerthrow was not occasioned by the valour of his enemies but onely by some miracle So that the people of the Cittie mocking and scorning those Idolaters and taking stomacke vnto them for these two victories thus happened beganne nowe to make no reconing of them and woulde with all violence haue runne vpon them To whome their aduersaries made this aunswere Tush you are not the men that haue thus vanquished vs but it was a certaine faire Lady all in white which with her admirable brightnesse had blindeded vs and a Knight riding vppon a white palfrey that had a redde Crosse vppon his breast and hee it was that fought against vs and turned vs to flight Which when the King vnderstoode he sent to tell his brother that of those two the one was a Virgin the Mother of Christ whose faith he had embraced and the other was S. Iames who both were sent from God to succour and relieue him and that if he also would become a Christian they would likewise shew great grace and fauour vnto him But Mani-Pango would not accept of this message but all the night following did put himselfe in a readinesse to besiege the Cittie vpon both sides at once the one with one part of his Armie at the straite aboue mentioned and the other with another parte of his people himselfe in his owne person compassing about by the lane that ascendeth from the riuer and so in a place vtterly vnprouided of eyther watch or ward he
thought to attempt the victorie Those that were aboue at the strait did first ioyne battell and were quite discomfited and ouerthrowne and Pango himselfe hoping to haue thrust forward on the other side while his enemies were wholly occupyed in defending themselues at the straite found himselfe greatly deceyued for his people were already put to flight by those of the Cittie who perceyuing the great noyse that Pango and his troupes made in ascending the hill on the other side ranne with all speed to meete with that danger and driuing him and all his people backe againe put them in disarray and then so vexed and molested them with such a furie of dartes and other weapons which they threwe among them that Pango being ouercome with feare and daunger ranne away and fell into the snares and nettes which he himselfe had layde for the Christians For lighting among the foresaide stakes he was with one of them thrust into the bodie and so being surprised with an euill death he finished his life as it were in a rage For you must vnderstand that the sharpe ends of the said stakes were envenomed with a certaine poyson which taking holde of the blood and entring somewhat into the flesh woulde kill without all cure or remedy By this victory and death of his brother did the king remaine in securitie and libertie wiihout all contradiction and then thinking with himselfe that his people and subiectes were in a great doubt and quandarie and durst not for feare present themselues before him by reason of the errour that they had committed against him like a good Prince hee sent to signifie vnto them that he would pardon their former faultes and receiue them into his grace and fauour Wherevpon they came and yeelded themselues vnto him with all obedience all sauing the Captaine Generall whose name was Mani-Bunda For hee feared greatly to appeare before the king for very shame of his disloyaltie and villanie but yet at the last hee obtained his pardon with a certaine penance enioyned him that he should go and serue in the building of the Church wherevpon he became afterwardes so humble and deuout a Christian that when the King woulde haue eased him of that trauell he would not by any meanes giue ouer his labour vntill such time as all the Church was wholly built and finished The Kingdome being thus pacified and all things well established the king Don Alfonso tooke order that they should presently go in hande with the fabricke of the principall Church called S. Crosses which was so named of the Crosse that was there planted as wee tolde you before and also because vpon the feast day of the Holy Crosse the first stone was layed in the foundation thereof Moreouer hee commaunded that the men should bring stones and the weomen shoulde fetch sand from the Riuer for the furthering of this worke The king woulde needes bee the first Porter himselfe and vppon his owne shoulders brought the first basket of stones which he cast into the foundation and the Queene her basket of sande likewise thereby giuing an example to the Lordes and the Ladies of the Court to do the like and to encourage and harten the people in so holy an action And so this fabricke being furthered by so good worke-maisters and workemen in a very short time was fully finished and therein were celebrated Masses and other diuine seruice with great solemnitie besides a number of Lords and others that were there baptised and christened so that the multitude of such as came to bee partakers of the Holy Baptisme abounded so greatly that there were not Priestes enough to execute that office After this the king dispatched away the Portingall Embassadour who till this time had remained at the Court by reason of these troubles and with him hee sent also another Embassadour of his owne called Don Roderico and diuerse others that were of kinne both to himselfe and to his Embassadour to the ende that they should learne both the doctrine of the Christians in Portingall and also their language and further declare vnto the King all these accidents that had happened Moreouer hee caused the Lordes of all his prouinces to bee assembled together in a place appointed for that purpose and there publikely signified vnto them that whosoeuer had any Idoles or any thing els that was contrary to the Christian Religion he should bring them forth and deliuer them ouer to the Lieuetenantes of the Countrey Otherwise whosoeuer did not so should be burned themselues without remission or pardon Which commandement was incontinently put in execution And a wonderfull thing it is to bee noted that within lesse then one moneth all the Idolles and Witcheries and Characters which they worshipped and accounted for Gods were sent and brought vnto the Court. And certainely the number of these toyes was infinite for euery man adored and reuerenced the thing that best liked him without any order or measure or reason at all so that there was among them a huge multitude of Deuilles in sundrie straunge and terrible shapes Many there were that carryed a deuotion to Dragons with winges which they nourished and fed in their owne priuate houses giuing vnto them for their foode the best and most costly viandes that they had Others kept Serpents of horrible figures Some worshipped the greatest Goates they could get some Tygres and other most monstrous Creatures yea the more vncouth deformed the beastes were the more they were honoured Some held in veneration certaine vncleane foules and night-birdes as Backes Owles and Schritche-Owles and such like To be briefe they did choose for their Gods diuers Snakes and Adders and Beastes and Birdes and Hearbes and Trees and sundry Characters of woode and of stone the figures of all these things aboue rehearsed aswell painted in colours as grauen in woode and in stone and in such other stuffe Neyther did they onely content themselues with worshipping the saide creatures when they were quick and aliue but also the very skins of them when they were dead being stuffed with straw The acte of this their adoration was performed in diuers sortes all wholly addressed and directed to expresse their humilitie as by kneeling on their knees by casting themselues groueling vpon the earth by defiling their faces with dust by making their prayers vnto their Idoles in wordes and in actions and by offering vnto them the best parte of the substaunce which they had in their possession They had moreouer their Witches which made the foolish people to belieue that their Idoles could speake and so deceyued them and if any man being in sicknes or infirmitie woulde recommend himselfe vnto them and afterwardes that man recouered his health the Witches woulde perswade him that the Idole had beene angry with him but now was appeased and had healed him And this is in part that which was vsed among the Moci-Conghi concerning their Religion before they
no mans life so that hauing diuided themselues into seuerall armies they ruled and gouerned sometimes in one Prouince and sometimes in another ouer all the kingdome With this persecution did God generally afflict and chastize all the inhabitantes of the saide Kingdome of Congo the King himselfe the Lordes the people the Portingalles and their Clergie euery one in their degree and calling As for the poore people they went wandring like vagabondes ouer all the Countrey and perished for hunger and want of necessaries And for the Kinge with those that followed him and had saued themselues in the Islande they also because the Isle was very little and the multitude great were oppressed with so terrible a scarsitie of victuailes that the most part of them dyed by famine and pestilence For this dearth so increased and meate arose to so excessiue a rate that for a very small pittance God wot they were faine to giue the price of a slaue whome they were wont to sell for tenne Crownes at the least So that the Father was of necessitie constrayned to sell his owne sonne and the brother his brother and so euery man to prouide his victuailes by all manner of wickednesse The persons that were solde for the satisfying of other mens hunger were bought by the Portingal Marchants that came from S. Thomas with their ships laden with victuailes Those that sold them said they were slaues and those that were solde iustified and confirmed the same because they were desirous to be ridde of their greedie torment And by this occasion there was no small quantity of slaues that were borne in Congo solde vpon this necessitie and sent to the Isle of S. Thomas to Portingall among whome there were some of the bloud Royall and some others principall Lordes By this affliction the King did manifestly learne know that all these great miseries and aduersities abounded for his misdeedes and although he was not much punished with hunger because hee was a King yet he did not escape the cruel infirmitie of the Dropsie that made his legges to swell exceedingly which disease was engendred partely by the ayre and very ill diet and partely by the moystnesse of the Islande and so it accompanied him euen vntill his death But in the meane while being stricken to the hart with these misfortunes and calamities he conuerted and turned to God requiring pardon for his offences and doing pennance for his sinnes and then was counselled and aduised by the Portingalles that he shoulde sende to request succours of the King of Portingall by certayne Embassadours that might recount vnto him all the mischiefes which had lighted vpon him This Embassage was accordingly performed at the same time that the K. Don Sebastiano began his raign who with great speed and kindnesse sent him succours by a Captaine called Francesco di Gouea a man well exercised in diuers wars both in India and also in Africa who lead with him sixe hundred Souldiers and many Gentlemen Aduenturers that did accompany him Chap. 6. The King of Portingall sendeth aide and an Embassadour to the King of Congo The knowledge of the Mettall mines which abound in Congo is denyed the King of Portingall At the same time the King of Congo dispatcheth Embassadours to the King of Spaine to request Priestes of him what befell vnto them He sendeth diuers proofes of the Mettalles The vow of Odoardo Lopes THis Captayne Francesco di Gouea carried with him a commandement from his Kinge that the Islande of Saint Thomas shoulde prouide him ships and victuails and whatsoeuer els was requisite for this enterprise And with this prouision hee arriued at the last in the Isle of Horse where the King of Congo was resident In whose company the Portingalles departing from thence gathering together all the men of warre in that Countrey with all speed possible put themselues onwardes against their aduersaries and fought with them sundry times in plaine battell so that at the ende of one yeare and a halfe they restored the King into his former estate Which victory they atchieued in deede by the noyse and force of their Arcubuses for the Giachi are exceedingly afraid of that weapon rather then by the valour and strength of their souldiers And so they were in spight of their teeth driuen out of the Realme of Congo but few of them there were that returned home againe to see their frendes But the Portingall Captaine stayed there for the space of foure yeares to settle the King in his Kingdome and then returned into Portingall with letters of request to his King that hee woulde sende ouer some moe Priestes to vpholde and maintaine the Christian Religion Howbeit a number of Portingalles that came by shippe with him remained behinde him in these Countries and are at this daye become very rich and wealthie men And the King being thus established in his former degree and the Kingdome all in quyet and peace became a very good Christian and married the Ladie Catarina who is yet aliue by whom he had fower daughters and by certaine Maide-seruants which he kept two sonnes and one daughter And because in those regions the weomen doe not succeede there remayned as heyre of his kingdome his elder sonne called also Don Aluaro who liueth at this day During the time that the foresaide Captaine stayed in Congo the King of Portingall Don Sebastiano vnderstanding that there were in that Kingdome diuers Caues and Mines of Siluer of Golde other Mettalles sent thether two persons that were cunning and skilful in that Arte for therein they had serued the Castilians in the West to make search for them and to drawe some profite thereof But the King of Congo was by a certaine Portingall called Francesco Barbuto that was his Confessour and great familiar perswaded to the contrary that he should not in any case suffer those Mines to be discouered signifying vnto him that thereby peraduenture the free enioying and possession of his Kingdome might by little and little be taken quite from him and therefore aduised him that he woulde cause these skilfull Maisters to bee ledde and guided by some other wayes where hee knewe there were no Mettall-Mynes to be founde which he did accordingly But assuredly it grew afterwardes to a great mischiefe that the King would not suffer this Arte of digging and melting of mettalles so greatly esteemed ouer all Europe to be exercised in Congo For therevpon beganne the great trade and trafficke in that Countrey to cease and the Portingall Marchants did not greatly care for venturing thether or dwelling there any more and so consequently very few Priestes resorted among them So that aswell vpon these occasions as also for other such causes afore rehearsed the Christian Religion waxed so colde in Congo that it wanted verye little of being vtterly extinguished But the King Don Aluaro as it hath beene tolde you after all these mighty afflictions laid
vpon him by the hand of God for the punishment of the sinnes which he had committed against Religion had acknowledged his errour and became a good Christian cherishing the Portingals whom he called his Sonnes and doing them all the pleasure hee could Especially and aboue all thinges hee ceased not still to sende new Embassadours into Portingall with earnest request that he might haue moe Priestes and such as were skilful in the holy Scriptures to maintaine the Catholike Faith which was now almost vtterly forgotten in that Realme onely for want of religious persons that shoulde teach the people and administer the Sacramentes and not for any fault of their good willes for they were meruellously well inclined and affected to the Holy Faith After that the aforesaid Captaine was arriued in Portingall and had presented the requestes of the King of Congo to his King who was also but a young man he had none other aunswere from him but wordes and promises that he would haue a care of the matter that was demanded but in the meane while hee prouided neyther Priests nor Diuines to be sent for Congo Wherevpon the King of Congo dispatched againe another principall Embassadour being his kinseman called Don Sebastiano Aluarez together with a Portingall to beare him company and entreate for moe Priestes and withall to redeeme certaine slaues borne in Congo that were in the Isle of S. Thomas and in Portingall and were sold vpon meere necessitie as wee haue tolde you before Some of them woulde needes remaine still in voluntarie seruitude and many were raunsomed and brought home into their Countrey By whose good labour and meanes and especially by the paineful industrie of such as were Lords borne of noble bloud for some there were of that dignitie among them the King of Congo restored the Christian Religion which was almost lost and some of them he vsed for Counsellours and Officers of the Realme as men that were well practised and experienced in the worlde by reason of this their long captiuitie To this Embassadour the King gaue a gracious aunswere and tolde him that hee should bee satisfyed according to his request But yet for all that hee was faine to returne home agayne into Congo without any Priestes or Religious persons to go with him Three yeares after the King Don Sebastiano dispatched a certaine Bishoppe called Don Antonio de gli Oua being a Castilian borne principally to the Islande of S. Thomas but withall he gaue him also a commission to visite the kingdome of Congo who being arriued at S. Thomas fell at iarre with the Captayne there and so sayled into Congo where hee was also persecuted by the saide Captaine and his frendes that hee had there For they informed the King that hee was an ambitious man of a haughtie spirite and very obstinate thereby did vtterly discredite him with the King and all his Court Wherevpon being induced therevnto by these accusations the King forbad him at the first to enter within his Realme but afterwardes he receyued him with great honour and sent his sonne to entertain him and to accompany him to the Cittie There he stayed about eyght monethes and then departed againe somewhat before the King of Portingall passed into Africa and leaft behinde him in Congo two Friars and fower Priestes The Bishoppe being thus gone the King ouerthrowen in Africa there was exalted to the Crowne of Portingall Don Henrico the Cardinall to whome the King of Congo did write with great instaunce and earnest request that he would send him some religious personnes and Preachers but he could obtaine nothing at his handes because the Cardinall liued but a short time in that Gouernement After Don Henrico succeeded Phillip King of Castile who sent aduertisementes to the Captain of Saint Thomas that he was inuested in the Crowne of Portingall and letters also to the King of Congo to the same effect Wherevpon the Captaine did presently dispatch one Sebastiano di Costa that with the title of Embassadour shoulde carry these newes and letters vnto the saide King When these letters were presented and all complementes performed the king of Congo returned him againe to the Court to king Phillip with answere of his letters and therein proffered to discouer vnto him the mettall mines which heretofore had beene concealed from all the other kinges his predecessors and withal sent him diuers trialles of them Beseeching him especially with all affectionate entreatie that as soone as possiblie he could hee woulde furnish him with some store of Priestes declaring also vnto him the miserable state and condition whereinto his people were fallen by reason of the troubles that had happened about the Christian Religion But Costa died by the way the vessell wherein he sayled being cast away vpon the shore of Portingall and euery man drowned that was in it and the naughtie newes were knowen by the contentes of the Letters that were found in a little chest which was driuen on land by the waues of the sea by a briefe note of such Commissions as he had in charge to deliuer to the king When the king of Congo hearde of this accident hee did not cease but still continued and perseuered in his godly purpose woulde not suffer Christianitie to bee vtterly extinguiwed in his Kingdome as it was very likely to be And therefore he determined yet once again to send a new Embassadour of his owne to the King of Spaine But forasmuch as there arose some difficulties and differences among some Lordes of the Court that desired this honour the king because he woulde not displease any of them by preferring one of them before another made choice of one Odoardo Lopez a Portingall borne from whose mouth Pigafetta tooke this present report and put it in writing This man had dwelt now a good time in those Regions and was well experienced in the affaires of the worlde and being by good chaunce at that time in the Court he was thus emploied with the good fauour and countenance of the king who deliuered vnto him in writing very ample instructions for all matters whereof hee was to treate as well with his Catholike Maiestie in Spaine as also with his Holinesse at Rome together with very earnest letters of credence and authoritie and commoditie to them both and safe conductes and exemptions in all liberties both within and without besides his effectuall recommendations of him to all other Christian Princes with all such other priuileges and declarations that might shew how dearly the king esteemed his person as to an Embassadour in such causes appertaineth The summe of his Embassage was this That he should present his Letters to the King Don Phillip and at large discourse vnto him the state wherein the kingdome of Congo stoode touching matter of Religion by the reason of the former warres and scarcitie of Priestes and therevpon request his Maiestie to prouide
his Commissions But diuers great accidentes there happened many difficulties that crossed him and altogether hindered the course of those affaires which hee had to accomplish in the name of the King of Congo For first hee hearde the dolorous newes of the Kinges death that sent him on this message and then the King Don Philip was wholly busied about the conquest of England so that this busines went nothing forwardes but was delayed from time to time neyther did he see any meanes of dispatch but rather hee was giuen to vnderstand that for that time they could not intende to harken vnto him Now the foresaide Odoardo being afflicted with so many aduersities began to call to mind the innumerable perilles that he had passed and the deadly infirmitie wherewith he was plagued after that long horrible nauigation He saw that he was sometimes cast downe and sometimes exalted and knew that in this worlde there was none other rest or quiet but in God Almightie He was greatly oppressed with hart griefe which he did dayly and continually endure because he could not relieue the necessities wherewith the people of Congo were vexed and troubled and manifestly perceyued that those poore soules incurred the extreame daunger of falling into the vtter darkenesse of hell He considered the great expenses that euery day must be defrayed at the Court for the maintenance of himselfe and his familie Lastly he was wholly depriued of all hope that he should euer be able to bring that matter to effect which the king of Congo had imposed vpon him And therefore he made choice of another course that was not onely profitable for him but also most wholesome for his soule For the good Angell had touched his harte and caused him with a manly courage to abandon the Sword and to take the Crosse vpon him and therevpon hee renounced the worlde with all the deceitfull pompe and glorie thereof and in Madrill apparelled himselfe in a graye course habite and so went to Rome to declare to Sixtus Quintus the Pope the tenor and Commission of his Embassage because he would not altogether neglect the good intent and meaning of the King that had sent him although he were now descended into a better life He was kindly welcomed and receiued by his Holines to whom hee discoursed the miserable estate wherein the Christian people of the Realme of Congo did stand for want of the worship and seruice of God and also the small number of Priestes that were there to instruct them in the doctrine of the Gospel and to deliuer vnto them the Sacraments of the Church especially the multitude in that countrey being as it were innumerable that euery day resorted together to bee baptised instructed confessed and communicated Moreouer he made a vowe and resolued in his minde that with such store of wealth as God had blessed him withall in Congo which was not very small he would builde a house wherein for the seruice of God there should dwell certaine learned men and sundrie Priests to instruct the youth of those Countries in all good languages and in the arts liberal and in the doctrine of the Gospell and in the misteries of our saluation Out of which house as it were out of a holy Schoole there might come forth from time to time many learned men and well studied in the law of God that shoulde be able in their owne naturall Countrey tongue to awaken and raise againe the Faith of Christ which was now asleepe and dried vp in those Regions and thereby in processe of time there woulde spring vp many fruits of blessing vigilant soules in the Christian Faith Herevnto he ment also to adde an Hospitall that might be a recourse and harbor for Gods poore which coming and sayling out of strange Countries should haue reliefe and entertainment in that Hostelry and there be cured and restored of their infirmities and necessities With this purpose therefore he went to Rome to obteyne of his holynes a licence to erect this Seminary and Hospitall and to beseech him also that he would graunt him Iubilies Indulgences and other Dispensations that for such Christian and wholsom works are requisite especially to the vse benefit of those Countries which are so remote from Christendome He presented himselfe to the Pope deliuered vnto him his letters of credence and then declared vnto him at large the tenor of his Commissions wherein he had a gracious audience But when the Pope did vnderstand that the kingdome of Congo belonged to the king of Spaine he remitted that matter wholly vnto him Chap. 7. Of the Court of the King of Congo Of the apparell of that people before they became Christians and after Of the Kinges table and manner of his Court. HEtherto we haue manifestly discouered the beginning of Christian Religion in Congo consequently the strange accidents that happened therein And now it is time to discourse lay open the manners and fashions of that Court other customes and conditions appertayning to that Realme In auncient time this King and his Courtiers were apparelled with certaine cloath made of the Palme-Tree as we haue tolde you before wherewith they couered themselues from the girdlesteed downewardes and girded the same streyght vnto them with certaine girdles made of the same stuffe very faire and well wrought They vsed also to hang before them like an apron certaine delicate and dainty skinnes of little Tygres of Ciuet-Cattes of Sabelles of Marternes and of such like creatures for an ornament and for a more glorious pompe and shew they did weare vpon their shoulders a certaine cape like a Whoode Vpon their bare skinne they had a certaine rounde garment like a Rotchet which they call Incutto reaching downe to their knees made after the manner of a net but the stuffe of it was very fine cloth of the said Palme-Tree at the skirtes there hung a number of threede-tasselles that made a very gallant shew These Rotchets were turned vp againe tucked vpon their right shoulder that they might be the more at libertie on that hande Vpon that shoulder also they had the taile of a Zebra fastned with a handle which they vsed for a kinde of brauery according to the most auncient custome of those partes On their heades they wore cappes of yellow and redde colour square aboue and very little so that they scarcely couered the toppes of their heads and worne rather for a pompe and a vanitie then to keepe them eyther from the ayre or from the Sunne The most part of them went vnshodde but the King and some of the great Lords did weare certaine shooes of the olde fashion such as are to be seene in the ancient Images of the Romanes and these were made also of the woode of the Palme-Tree The poorer sorte and the common people were apparelled from their middle downewardes after the same manner but the cloath was courser and
the rest of their bodie all naked The women vsed three kindes of trauerses or as it were aprons beneath their girdlesteed One was very long and reached to their heels the second shorter then that and the thirde shorter then both the other with fringes about them and euery one of these three was fastened about their middle and open before From their breastes downewardes they had another garment like a kinde of dublet or iacket that reached but to their girdle and ouer their shoulders a certaine cloake All these seuerall garmentes were made of the same cloth of the Palme-Tree They were accustomed to goe with their faces vncouered and a little cappe on the head like a mans cappe The meaner sorte of weomen were apparelled after the same manner but their cloth was courser Their Maid-seruantes and the basest kind of women were likewise attyred from the girdle downeward and all the rest of the bodie naked But after that this kingdome had receyued the Christian Faith the great Lords of the Court beganne to apparell themselues after the manner of the Portingalles in wearing cloakes Spanish Capes and Tabards or wide Iackets of Scarlet and cloth of Silke euery man according to his wealth and abilitie Vpon their heads they had hats or caps and vpon their feet Moyls or Pantoffles of Veluet and of Leather and buskins after the Portingall fashion and long Rapiers by their sides The common people that are not able to make their apparell after that manner doe keepe their olde custome The women also go after the Portingall fashion sauing that they weare no cloakes but vpon their heads they haue certaine veyles and vpon their veyles blacke veluet cappes garnished with iewelles and chaines of golde about their their neckes But the poorer sorte keep the old fashion for onely the Ladies of the Court doo bedecke themselues in such manner as wee haue tolde you After the King himselfe was conuerted to the Christian Religion hee conformed his Court in a certaine sorte after the manner of the King of Portingall And first for his seruice at the table when he dyneth or suppeth openly in publike there is a Throne of Estate erected with three steppes couered all ouer with Indian Tapistrie and therevpon is placed a Table with a chaire of Crimzen Veluet adorned with bosses and nailes of Golde Hee alwaies feedeth alone by himselfe neyther doth any man euer sit at his table but the Princes stand about him with their heads couered He hath a Cupborde of Plate of Gold and Siluer and one that taketh assay of his meat and drinke He maintaineth a guarde of the Anzichi and of other nations that keep about his pallace furnished with such weapons as are aboue mentioned and when it pleaseth him to goe abroade they sounde their great instrumentes which may bee hearde about fiue or sixe miles and so signifie that the King is going forth All his Lords do accompany him and likewise the Portingalles in whom hee reposeth a singular trust but very seldome it is that he goeth out of his pallace Twice in a weeke hee giueth audience publikely yet no man speaketh vnto him but his Lordes And because there are none that haue any goods or lands of their owne but all belongeth to the Crowne there are but few suites or quarelles among them sauing peraduenture about some words They vse no writing at all in the Congo tongue In cases criminall they proceede but slenderly for they doo very hardely and seldome condemne any man to death If there be any ryot or enormitie committed against the Portingals by the Moci-Conghi for so are the inhabitants of the Realme of Congo called in their owne language they are iudged by the lawes of Portingall And if any mischiefe bee founde in any of them the king confineth the malefactor into some desert Island for he thinketh it to bee a greater punishmente to banish him in this sorte to the end he may doe pennance for his sinnes then at one blow to execute him And if it so happen that those which are thus chastized doe liue tenne or twelue yeares the King vseth to pardon them if they be of any consideration at all and doeth imploy them in the seruice of the State as persons that haue beene tamed and well schooled and accustomed to suffer any hardenesse In Ciuill disagreements there is an order that if a Portingall haue any suite against a Moci-Congo he goeth to the Iudge of Congo but if a Moci-Congo doe impleade a Portingall hee citeth him before the Consul or Iudge of the Portingalles for the King hath graunted vnto them one of their owne nation to be Iudge in that countrey In their bargains between them and the Portingalles they vse no writinges nor other instrumentes of billes or bondes but dispatch their businesse onely by word and witnesse They keepe no histories of their auncient Kinges nor any memoriall of the ages past because they cannot write They measure their times generally by the Moones They knowe not the houres of the day nor of the night but they vse to say In the time of such a man such a thing happened They reckon the distances of countries not by miles or by any such measure but by the iourneyes and trauell of men that goe from one place to another eyether loaden or vnloaden Touching their assembling together at feastes or other meetinges of ioy as for example when they are marryed they sing Verses and Ballades of Loue and play vppon certaine Lutes that are made after a strange fashion For in the hollowe parte and in the necke they are somwhat like vnto our Lutes but for the flat side where wee vse to carue a Rose or a Rundell to let the sounde goe inwarde that is made not of wood but of a skinne as thinne as a bladder and the stringes are made of hayres which they draw out of the Elephantes tayle and are very strong and bright and of certaine threedes made of the woode of Palme-Tree which from the bottome of the instrument doe reach and ascende to the toppe of the handle and are tyed euery one of them to his seuerall ringe For towardes the necke or handle of this Lute there are certaine rings placed some higher and some lower whereat there hange diuers plates of Iron and Siluer which are very thinne and in bignesse different one from another according to the proportion of the instrument These ringes doo make a sounde of sundrie tunes according to the striking of the stringes For the stringes when they are striken doo cause the rings to shake and then doo the plates that hang at them helpe them to vtter a certayne mingled and confused noyse Those that play vppon this Instrument doo tune the strings in good proportion and strike them with their fingers like a Harpe but without any quill very cunningly so that they make thereby I cannot tell whether I shoulde call it a melodie or no but such a sounde
description therof PaÌ„go the chief town of this Prouince Don Francisco chiefe Gouernour of Pango The fift Prouince Batta the description thereof Batta the chiefe towne of all Batta The Preeminence of the Gouernour of Batta Don Pedro chiefe Gouernour of Batta The K. of CoÌ„go wil not suffer any natural borne subiect in Congo to haue an Arcubuse The reason why the K. of Congo permitteth Mani-Batta to haue Arcubusiers in his Prouince The Giacâ—â—â— The conditions of the people of Batta Their traffick The sixt Prouince Pemba and the situation thereof Don Antonio cheife Gouernor of Pemba The chiefe Cittie of all Congo is situate in this prouince of PeÌ„ba The Courtiers c. dwel for the most part in Pemba Conclusion of this booke The contents of the seconde booke The Territory of the chiefest Cittie in all Congo contayneth in compasse 20. miles about The chief Citty called San-Saluadore The situation of the Citty The mountaine wherevpon it standeth The soile the ayre the waters and the cattell The Otheiro The reason why they built in this place Fiue miles froÌ„ the bottome of the hill to the toppe A riuer at the hill foote The particucular situation of the Cittie A seuerall place for the Portingalles The principall Church and market place Good store of water The plaine very fruitfull Seuerall sortes of graine Luco White Milles called the Mazza of Congo Maiz Diuers kinds of trees bearing fruit Banana Diuers kindes of Palme-trees The oyle of Palme The bread of Palme The fruit of the Palme The wine and Vineger of Palme Great store of stone to build with all Lime timber and cattel to carry and draw Want of workmen to build Stuffe for building ships housing Hearbs and fruites The first trafficke of the Portingalles into Congo Mani Sogno the K. vncle entertaineth the Portingals Mani-Sogno conuerted become a Christian. The King of Congo promiseth to becom a Christian. The K. of Portingall sendeth Priestes to the K. of Congo to instruct him Mani-Sogno promoteth the Christian Religion The ships returne from Portingall 1491. Mani-Sogno his traine entertayneth the Portingals Mani-Sogno buildeth a Church Mani Sogno his sonne baptized What names the people of Congo had before they were christened A sermon coÌ„tayning the summe of Christian Religion Mani Sogno rehearseth the Sermon to his people The Portingals go to the Court to baptise the king The Courtiers of Congo meet the Portingals The king him selfe recceyueth them The Portingal Embassadour declareth his Embassage The K. reioyceth at the Embassage The people reioyce at it The K. vieweth the Presents sent vnto him by the K. of Portingall Consultation among the Portingals for the Christening of the K. for the building of a Church An insurrection raised by the Deuill to hinder the progresse of Christian Religion Mani-Sundi goeth against the rebelles The K. buildeth in haste a Church of timber The K. Q. of Congo Christened The Church of S. Saviours The Latine historie of the Indies doth report amisse of this rebellion Diuers Lordes baptised The K. goeth in person against the rebels and discomfiteth theÌ„ Mani-Sundi christened and many other with him Mani-Pango resisteth the Gospell Mani-Pango and his complices accuse Mani-Sundi to his father The K. depriueth Mani-Sundi of his gouernment Mani-Sogno maketh intercession for his brother Mani-Sundi restored The funerall of K. Iohn celebrated by K. Alfonso Mani-Pango rebelleth against his brother The Kinges power both slender and timorous The king to his souldiers The Kinges Souldiers depart from him Mani-Sogno meeteth with them The Fugitiues returne and aske the King forgiuenes The K. giueth thankes to God The King erecteth a Crosse of a great length A vision appeared to him The Armes of the King of Congo The proude message of Mani-Pango to the King The Kinges answere The King rewardeth his followers Certain timorous fugitiues runne to the Campe of Mani-Pango A stratagem of Mani-PaÌ„go Mani-Pango assaulteth the Cittie Mani-Pango discomfited without any fight Mani-Pango the seconde time discomfited in like manner Mani-Pango assaulteth the Cittieon both sides at once The stratagem of Mani-Pango turneth to his owne destruction The death of Mani-Pango The Rebelles yeeld to the kings mercie The building of the Church called Saint Crosses K. Alfonso dispatcheth the Portingal Embassadour mother of his owne into Portingall The K. commandeth all Idolles to be brought in all other things that are contrary to Christian Religion Their deuout worshipping of Idols Witches The K. burned all the Idols The king commandeth euery Lorde to build a Church in the Cittie of his owne gouernment The K. buildeth 3. Churches One to Saint Sauiour The second to our Ladie of Helpe The third to S. Iames The ships returne from Portingall with Friers Priestes King Alfonso dyeth Don Piedro succeedeth him The Isle of S. Thomas beginneth to be inhabited The King of Portingall sendeth one to be Bishop of the Isle of S. Thomas and of Congo The entertainment of the Bishop in Congo The Bishoppe foundeth the Cathedrall Church of S. Crosses The Bishop dyeth The second B. dyeth The K. Don Piedro dyeth Don Francesco succeedeth dyeth Don Diego the fift King The K. Diego very sumptuous The third B. of S. Thomas of Congo Dissention betweene the Friers and Priests the new Bishop After the death of K. Diego three Princes at once challenge the Kingdom and all three slaine The Portingalles slaine dispearsed Don Henrico created king K. Henrico dieth Don Aluaro succeedeth and so the stocke of of the ancient Kings of Congo ceased K. Aluaro restoreth the Portingals The B. of S. Thomas returneth into Congo The B. of S. Thomas dieth K. Aluaro liueth licentiously Francesco Bulla Matare an ill companion counsellour to the King Bullamatare dyeth What people the Giachas are Their conditions weapons The Giachas spoile the prouince of Batta The Giachas come to the Royall Cittie of Congo K. Aluaro flieth into the Isle of Horses The Giachas surprise the Cittie and rule ouer all the kingdom The King those that followed him plagued with an extreame famine Many of the bloud Royall sold for slaues to the Portingalles King Aluaro falleth into a Dropsie K. Aluaro sendeth to the K. of Portingall for succor Don Sebastian the King of Portingal sendeth succour vnto him Francesco di Gouea restoreth the King and driueth the Giachas out of Congo Francesco di Gouea after foure yeares returneth into Portingal with letters for mo Priestes The K. becommeth a good Christian marieth The K. of Portingal sendeth to make search in Congo for mettal Mines Francesco Barbuto disswadeth the King from making the search auoydeth it by pollicy The inconuenience of not suffering the mettall mines to be digged melted The K. sendeth new Embassadours into Portingall for mo priests The Portingal K. delayeth to send mo Priestes The King of Congo sendeth Don Sebastiano Aluarez to entreat for Priestes to redeeme certaine of his nobilitie that were in