Selected quad for the lemma: religion_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
religion_n	good_a	king_n	prince_n	3,500	5	5.4628	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A06339	A report of the kingdome of Congo, a region of Africa And of the countries that border rounde about the same. 1. Wherein is also shewed, that the two zones torrida & frigida, are not onely habitable, but inhabited, and very temperate, contrary to the opinion of the old philosophers. 2. That the blacke colour which is in the skinnes of the Ethiopians and Negroes &c. proceedeth not from the sunne. 3. And that the Riuer Nilus springeth not out of the mountains of the Moone, as hath been heretofore beleeued: together with the true cause of the rising and increasing thereof. 4. Besides the description of diuers plants, fishes and beastes, that are found in those countries. Drawen out of the writinges and discourses of Odoardo Lopez a Portingall, by Philippo Pigafetta. Translated out of Italian by Abraham Hartwell.; Relatione del reame di Congo. English	Lopes, Duarte.; Pigafetta, Filippo, 1533-1604.; Hartwell, Abraham, b. 1553.; Rogers, William, b. ca. 1545, engraver. aut	1597 (1597)	STC 16805; ESTC S108820	127,173	219

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

because it is the plainer tonge but the people of Congo do very hardely learne the language of the Anzichi And when I once demaunded what their religion was it was tolde mee they were Gentils and that was all that I could learne of them Chap. 6. Of the East coast of the Kingdome of Congo and the confines thereof THe East Coast of the kingdome of Congo beginneth as we haue tolde you at the meeting of the Riuer Vumba and the Riuer of Zaire and so with a line drawen towardes the South in equall distance from the Riuer Nilus which lyeth on the left hande it taketh vp a great mountaine which is very high not inhabited in the toppes thereof called the mountaine of Christal because there is in it great quantity of Christal both of the mountaine and of the cliffe and of all sorts And then passing on further includeth the hilles that are called Sierras de Sol that is to say the hilles of the Sunne because they are exceeding high And yet it neuer snoweth vpon them neyther doe they beare any thing but are very bare and without any trees at all On the leaft hand there arise other hils called the hilles of Sal-Nitrum because there is in thē great store of that Mineral And so cutting ouer the riuer Berbela that commeth out of the first Lake there endeth the ancient bound of the kingdome of Congo on the East Thus then the east coast of this kingdome is deriued from the meeting of the two foresaid riuers Vumba and Zaire vntill you come to the lake Achelunda and to the Countrey of Malemba contayning the space of sixe hundred miles From this lyne which is drawen in the easterne coast of Congo to the riuer Nilus and to the two Lakes whereof mention shalbe made in conuenient place there is the space of 150. miles of ground wel inhabited and good store of hils which do yeeld sundry mettalles with much linnen and cloth of the Palme tree And seeing wee are now come to this point of this discourse it will be very necessary to declare vnto you the maruellous arte which the people of this countrey and other places thereabouts do vse in making cloathes of sundry sortes as Veluets shorne and vnshorne cloth of Tinue Sattens Taffata Damaskes Sarcenettes and such like not of any silken stuffe for they haue no knowledge of the Silkewormes at all although some of their apparell bee made of silke that is brought thether from our Countreys But they weaue their cloathes aforenamed of the leaues of Palme trees which trees they alwayes keepe vnder and lowe to the grounde euery yeare cutting them and watering them to the ende they may grow smal and tender against the new spring Out of these leaues being cleansed purged after their manner they drawe forth their threedes which are all very fine and dainty and all of one euennesse sauing that those which are longest are best esteemed For of those they weaue their greatest peeces These stuffes they worke of diuers fashions as some with a nappe vpon them like Veluet on both sides and other cloath called Damaskes braunched with leaues and such other thinges the Broccati which are called High and Lowe and are farre more precious then ours are This kinde of cloath no man may weare but the king and such as it pleaseth him The greatest peeces are of these Broccati for they contayne in length fower and fiue spannes and in breadth three and foure spannes and are called Incorimbas by the name of the countrey where it groweth which is about the Riuer Vumba The Veluettes are called Enzachas of the same bignesse and the Damaskes Insulas and the Rasi Maricas and the Zendadi Tangas the Ormesini Engombos Of the lighter sort of these stuffes they haue greater peeces which are wrought by the Anzichi and are sixe spannes long and fiue spannes broade wherewith euery man may apparell himselfe according to his habilitie Besides that they are very thicke and sounde to keepe out the water and yet very light to weare The Portingalles haue lately begun to vse them for tents and boothes which do maruellously resist both water and winde Chap. 7. Of the confines of the kingdome of Congo towardes the South THis Easterne Coast as it is before set downe endeth in the mountain called Serras de Plata that is the mountaines of siluer and there beginneth the fourth and last border of the kingdome of Congo towardes the South that is to say from the foresaide mountaine to the Bay of Cowes on the West contayning in length the space of foure hundred fifty miles And this Southerne line doth parte the kingdome of Angola in the middle and leaueth on the left hand of it the foresaide mountaines of Siluer and further beyond them towardes the South the Kingdome of Matama which is a great kingdome very mighty and absolute of it selfe and sometimes in amity and sometimes at vtter enmitie with the kingdome of Angola The king of Matama is in religion a Gentile and his kingdome stretcheth towardes the South to the riuer Brauagal and neere to the mountains commonly called the Mountaynes of the Moone and towardes the east bordereth on the Westerne bankes of the riuer Bagamidri and so crosseth ouer the riuer Coari This countrey aboundeth in vaultes of Christall and other mettalles and all manner of victuaile and good ayre And although the people thereof their neighbour borderers do trafficke together Yet the King of Matama and the king of Angola doo oftentimes warre one against the other as we told you before And this riuer Bagamidri diuideth the kingdome of Matapa from the kingdome of Monomata which is towards the East and whereof Iohn de Barros doth most largely discourse in the first Chapter of his tenth booke Towardes the sea coast there are diuers Lordes that take vpon them the title of kinges but indeed they are of very base and slender estate Neyther are there any portes or hauens of any account or name in the riuers there And nowe forasmuch as wee haue oftentimes made mention of the kingdome of Angola this will be a very conuenient place for vs to intreate thereof because it hath beene heretofore saide that the king of Angola being in times past but a Gouernour or Deputy vnder the king of Congo although since that tyme he is become a good Christian yet hath he made himselfe a free and an absolute Prince and vsurped all that quarter to his owne iurisdiction which before hee had in regiment and gouernement vnder another And so afterwards in time conquered other countries thereabouts insomuch as he is now growen to bee a great Prince a rich and in power little inferiour to the king of Congo himselfe and therefore eyther payeth tribute or refuseth to pay tribute vnto him euen at his owne good pleasure It came to passe that Don Giouanni the second being king of Portingall

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

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

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

planted the christian religion in the Kingdome of Congo and thereupon the king of Congo became a Christian. After which time the Lorde of Angola was alwaies in amitie and as it were a vassall of the forenamed King of Congo and the people of both countries did trafficke together one with another and the Lord of Angola did euery yeare sende some presents to the king of Congo And by licence from the King of Congo there was a great trade betweene the Portingalles and the people of Angola at the hauen of Loanda where they bought slaues and chaunged them for other marchaundises and so transported all into the Isle of Sainte Thomas Whereby it came to passe that the trafficke was heere vnited with the trafficke of S. Thomas so that the shippes did vse first to arriue at that Islande and then afterwarde passed ouer to Loanda And when this trade began in processe of time to increase they dispatched their shippes from Lisbone to Angola of themselues and sent with them a Gouernour called Paulo Diaz of Nouais to whome this busines did as it were of right appertaine in regarde of the good desertes of his auncesters who first discouered this trafficke To this Paulo Diaz did Don Sebastiano King of Portingale graunt leaue and authority to conquere for the space of xxxiij leagues vpwardes along the coast beginning at the Riuer Coanza towards the South and within the lande also whatsoeuer hee coulde get towardes all his charges for him and his heyres With him there went many other shippes that opened and found out a great trade with Angola which notwithstanding was directed to the foresaide hauen of Loanda where the saide shippes did still discharge themselues And so by little little he entred into the firme land made himselfe a house in a certain village called Anzelle within a mile neer to the riuer Coanza because it was the more commodious nigher to the trafficke of Angola When the trade here beganne thus to increase and marchaundises were freely caried by the Portingales the people of Congo to Cabazo a place belonging to the Lorde of Angola and distant from the sea 150. miles there to sell and barter them it pleased his Lordship to giue out order that all the Marchants should be slaine and their goods confiscated alleadging for his defence that they were come thether as spies and to take possession of his estate but in truth it is thought that hee did it onely to gaine all that wealth to himselfe considering that it was a people that did not deale in the habite of warriours but after the manner of Marchants And this fell out in the same yeare that the King Don Sebastiano was discomfited in Barbarie When Paulo Diaz vnderstoode of this course he put himselfe in armes against the King of Angola and with such a troupe of Portingals as he could gather together that were to bee founde in that countrey and with two Gallies and other vessels which he kept in the riuer Coanza he went forwarde on both sides of the riuer conquering and by force subdued many Lords and made them his frendes and subiectes But the king of Angola perceyuing that his vassalles had yeelded to the obedience of Paulo Diaz and that with all prosperous successe he had gayned much land vpon him he assembled a great army to go against him and so vtterly to destroy him Whereupon Paulo Diaz requested the King of Congo that he woulde succour him with some helpe to defende himselfe withall who presently sent vnto him for aid an army of 60 thousand men vnder the conduct of his cosin Don Sebastiano Manibamba and another captayne with 120. Portingale souldiers that were in those countryes and all of his owne pay for the atchieuing of this enterprise This army was to ioyne with Paulo Diaz and so altogether to warre against the King of Angola but arriuing at the shoare where they were to passe ouer the riuer Bengo within 12. miles of Loāda where they shoulde haue met with many barkes to carry the Campe to the other shore partly because the said barks had slacked their cōming partly because much time wold haue been spent in transporting so many men the whole armie tooke their way quite ouer the riuer and so going on forwardes they met with the people of the King of Angola that were ready to stoppe the souldiers of Congo from entering vpon their Countrey The military order of the Mociconghi for by that terme we do call the naturall borne people of the kingdome of Congo as wee call the Spaniardes those that are naturally borne in Spaine and the military order of the people of Angola is almost all one For both of them doo vsually fight on foote and diuide their armie into seuerall troupes fitting themselues according to the situation of the field where they doo incampe aduancing their ensignes and banners in such sort as before is remembrd The remoues of their armie are guided and directed by certaine seuerall soundes and noyses that proceede from the Captayne Generall who goeth into the middest of the Armie and there signifieth what is to bee put in execution that is to say eyther that they shall ioyne battell or els retyre or put on forward or turne to the right hand and to the leaft hand or to performe any other warlick action For by these seueral sounds distinctly deliuered frō one to another they doe all vnderstande the commandementes of their Captayne as we heere among vs doo vnderstande the pleasure of our Generall by the sundrie stroakes of the Drumme and the Captaines soundes of the Trompet Three principall soundes they haue which they vse in warre One which is vttered aloude by great Rattles fastned in certaine woodden cases hollowed out of a tree and couered with leather which they strike with certaine little handles of Iuory Another is made by a certaine kinde of instrument fashioned like a Pyramis turned vpwarde for the lower ende of it is sharpe and endeth as it were in a point and the vpper end waxeth broader broader like the bottom of a Triangle in such sort that beneath they are narrow like an Angle aboue they are large and wide This instrument is made of certayne thinne plates of iron which are hollowe and empty within and very like to a bell turned vp side downe They make them ring by striking them with woodden wandes and oftentimes they do also cracke them to the ende that the sound should be more harsh horrible and warlicke The thirde instrument is framed of Elephants teeth some great and some small hollowe within and blowen at a certaine hole which they make on the side of it in manner of the Fife and not aloft like the Pipe These are tempered by them in such sort that they yeelde as warlicke and harmonious musicke as the Cornet doth and so pleasant and iocund a noyse that it moueth and