it was the next day after the Azyma or Feast day But the Samaritans reckoned the second after the Sabbath and so in all that space of fiftie dayes kept the first day of the weeke that is Sunday holy Thus they kept seuen Pentecosts in a yeere And perhaps he but coniectureth as they had these imaginarie Pentecosts so they might at other times of the yeere haue such imaginarie solemnities of other Feasts From that word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the second day and next to the Feast of vnleauened bread the Sabbaths saith Scaliger in the same place were called in order the first 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the second Sabbath after that day 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so the rest and thus hee expoundeth those words of Luke cap. 6. v. 1. Secundo primum Sabbatum that is the first Sabbath after that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or first day of the fiftie which beganne to be reckoned the next day after Easter till Pentecost A place hitherto very obscure Epiphanius doth number for Samaritan Sects The Essens of which is before shewed that they were Iewes and otherwise hereticall and Idolatrous in respect of their morning deuotions to the Sun for which it seemeth they might not certaine they did not communicate with other Iewes in the Temple and Sacrifices These pertaine not to this place as not Samaritans A fourth Samaritan Sect he accounteth the Gortheni which differed from the rest at least from the Sebuians in keeping their solemnities Paschal Pentecost and of Tabernacles at the Iewish times and obserued but one day holy as likewise the fasting day The Iewes still obserue the Sabbaticall yeere and so do the Samaritans also but not at the same time for that which is the fourth of the seuen with the Iewes is the Sabbaticall of the Samaritans CHAP. X. The miserable destruction and dispersion of the Iewes from the time of the desolation of their Citie and Temple to this day §. I. Of the Destruction of the Iewes vnder TITVS THE curse threatned vnto this superstitious and Rebellious Nation madnesse blindnesse astonishment of heart to grope at noone-daies as the blinde gropeth in darkenesse to be a wonder a prouerbe and a common talke among all people among which they should be scattered from one end of the World to the other is this day fulfilled in our eyes both in respect of their Politie and Religion GODS iust iudgement sealing that their owne imprecation His blood be on vs and on our children and pursuing them in all places of their dispersion through the reuolutions of so many ages Odious are they not to the Christians alone but to the Heathen people that know not GOD nor will the Turke receiue a Iew into the fellowship of their Mahumetane superstition except he hath passed first from his Iudaisme through the purgation of a Christian profession vnto that their no lesse ridiculous and miserable deuotion God they please not saith Paul and are contrarie vnto all men This their wretchednesse although it seemed to beginne when Herod a stranger seized their state yet was that infinitely more then recompenced when their Messiah so long before prophecied and expected came among his owne but his owne receiued him not yea they crucified the Lord of Glorie But euen then also did not the long-suffering GOD reiect them Christ prayed for them the Apostles preached to them remission of this and all their sinnes till that as Paul chargeth them they putting these things from them and iudging themselues vnworthie of eternall life GOD remoued this golden Candlestick from amongst them to the Gentiles and let out his Vineyard to other husband-men Famine sword and pestilence at once assayled them And what shall not assayle what will not preuaile against the enemies of GOD Ierusalem sometimes the glorie of the Earth the type of Heauen The Citie of the great King and Mother-citie of the Iewish kingdome from this incomparable height receiued as irrecouerable a fall besieged and sacked by Titus and yet more violently tortured with inward convulsions and ciuill gripes then by outward disease or forraine hostilitie Iosephus and Iosippus haue handled the same at large both which can acquaint the English Reader with the particulars Besides many thousands by Vespasian and the Romans slaine in other places of Iudaea Ierusalem the holy Citie was made a prison slaughter-house and graue of her owne people First had diuine mercie by Oracle remoued the Christians to Pella out of the danger that without any impediment the floud-gates of vengeance might be set wide open for Desolations black-guard to enter Here might you see the strong walls shaking and falling with the pushes of the yron Ramme there the Romans bathing their swords in Iewish entrales here the seditious Captaines disagreeing in mutuall quarrels written in blood there agreeing in robbing and burning the Citie and in slaughter of the Citizens here hunger painted with pale colours in the gastly countenances of the starued inhabitants there dyed in red with the blood of their dearest children which the tyrannie of famine forceth to re-enter into the tendrest-hearted mothers wombe sometime the place of Conception now of buriall Euery where the Eye is entertained with differing spectacles of diuersified Deaths the Eare with cries of the insulting Souldier of the famished children of men and women euen now feeling the tormenting or murthering hand of the seditious the Sent receiueth infectious plague and contagion from those humane bodies with inhumanitie butchered whom no humanitie buried the Taste is left a meere and idle facultie saue that it alway tasteth the more distastfull poyson of not-tasting and emptinesse what then did they feele or what did they not feele where all senses seemed to bee reserued that they might haue sense of punishment Where all outward inward publike priuate bodily ghostly plagues were so ready executioners of the Diuine sentence The continuall sacrifice first ceased for want of Priests of the last course to whom in order it had descended after for want of a Temple before polluted with Ethnick sacrifices and murthers of the Priests and Souldiers and lastly ruined the sacred vessels thereof being carried to Rome for ornaments of the Temple of Peace which Vespasian had there erected Eleuen hundred thousands are numbred of them which perished in this destruction The remnant that escaped the Roman Sword for the most part perished after in Warres or killed themselues or were reserued eyther for solemnitie of triumph or if they were vnder seuenteene yeeres of age sold vnto perpetuall slauerie ninetie seuen thousand of these Iewish slaues were numbred Galatinus accounteth two hundred thousand And that the hand of GOD might be the more manifest they which at their Passe-ouer feast had crucified the Sonne of GOD are at the same time gathered together in Ierusalem as to a common prison-house of that whole Nation and they which had bought Christ of the Traytor Iudas for
inclosed Iewes THe Persian Gulfe hath left some remnants of Land extant the chiefe is Ormuz a famous Mart which the Moores there maintayned vnder the gouernment of a Moore after made tributarie to the Portugall which Nature hath made barren Industrie plentifull the more fertile Element yeelds barrennesse and sands the barrenner bringeth in a double wealth Pearles and Merchandise Iohn Newbury which sayled downe Euphrates to this Sea and so to Ormuz visiting Bagdet by the way which he saith is twentie or fiue and twentie miles Southward from old Babylon testifieth of the women in Ormuz that they slit the lower part of their eares more then two inches which hangeth downe to their chin This our Countrey-man dyed in this Trauels hauing trauelled to Constantinople into the blacke Sea and Danubius and through the Kingdomes of Poland and Persia the Indies and other parts of the World But for the description of the passage downe the Riuer Euphrates to the Persian Gulfe I know none which hath done it so exactly as Gasparo Balbi a Venetian which that way passed to Ormuz and India who relateth the same in the Diarie of his Trauels sometimes the Trunkes or Bodies of Trees vnder the water of this Riuer conspiring dangerous attempts sometimes Zelebe and other ouer-hanging Mountaynes threatning ruine and euen now seeming to swallow them in their darke-deuouring jawes sometimes the violence of some steeper Current as it were hurling them into a Whirle-poole alway the Arabians ready attending for prey and spoile One Citie or rather the carkasse of a Citie whereof onely the ruines are remayning stands on the left hand of this Riuer greater in his opinion then Cairo in Egypt the Mariners affirmed to him That by the report of the old men it had three hundred threescore and sixe gates from morning to noone with the helpe of the streame and foure Oares they could scarcely passe one side thereof This is called Elersi perhaps that which was anciently called Edessa Hee speakes of the Caraguoh inhabiting as they passed which agree neither with Turkes Moores nor Persians in their Sect but haue an Heresie by themselues Hee trauelled more then one whole day by one side of old Babylon from Felugia to Bagdad though the ground bee good yet saw hee neither Tree nor greene Herbe but all barren and seeming to retaine some markes of the Prophesies threatned by Esay against this place They which dwell heere and trauell from hence to Balsara carrie with them Pigeons whom they make their Letter-posts to Bagdad as they doe likewise betweene Ormuz and Balsara The coasts of Persia as they sayled in this Sea seemed as a parched Wildernesse without tree or grasse those few people which dwell there and in the Ilands of Lar and Cailon liue on flesh being in manner them selues transformed into the nature of Fishes so excellent swimmers are they that seeing a vessell in the Seas though stormie and tempestuous they will swimme to it fiue or sixe miles to begge almes They eate their fish with Rice hauing no Bread their Cats Hennes Dogges and other Creatures which they keepe haue no other dyet In the Iland of Bairen and those of Gonfiar they take the best Pearles in the world In Muscato threescore miles from Ormuz they dare not fish for them for Fishes which are as cruell to the Men as they to the innocent Oysters They hold that in Aprill the Oysters come to the top of the water and receiue the drops of Raine which then fall wherewith they returne to the bottome againe and therefore fish not till the end of Iuly because that substance is not before ripened and hard In sayling from Ormuz to Diu he saith they passed ouer a Bay of a hundred and thirtie leagues of water white like milke I haue seene an Extract of a Chronicle written by Pachaturunuras which raigned in Ormuz three hundred yeares agoe testifying that one Mahomet being King of Amen in Arabia Foelix pretending title to Persia built a Citie on the Continent of Hormuz which his posteritie held in succession of many generations It happened that King Cabadim flying from the King of Creman came to Iarum that is a Wood so they called this Iland which is almost all of Salt the Riuer being brackish from a salt Mountaine in the middest thereof and the sides of the Riuer white salt Yet there then grew thinne Woods Heere he built Ormuz which Albuquerk made tributarie to the Portugals being Lady of the Ilands thereabouts and principall Staple of Merchandize for those parts of the world Odoricus speaketh of the intollerable heate in those parts and Balby testifieth that neere Balsara many persons die of the extremitie of heat which happened to foure of their company which forced by heat and wearinesse sate downe and with a hot blast of winde were all smothered Ormuz is lately taken from the Portugals by the Persian In the Discourse of these Asian Seas and this Persian among the rest I thought it worthy relating which Luys de Vrreta in his Aetheopian Historie telleth of a certrine Iew though perhaps but a tale for a lyer such as hee hath beene euicted in his Aethiopian Storie loseth his credit where he speakes truth yet euen tales serue for mirth being intermixed with serious histories branded that they may be knowne for Rogues or Iesters Be it as it will he tels that this Iew trauelling alongst the shoare of this Persian Sea by some In-lets and Armes thereof which embay themselues within the Land saw the Sea loftie and swelling by force of the Windes and Tides seeming to threaten the higher Elements but euen now ready to swallow vp the Earth roaring out a loud defiance in such sort that the poore Iew was amazed and dreadfully feared therewith and this continued the space of some dayes whiles the Iew trauelled thereby But on the Saturday and Sabbath Superstition commanded the Iew and Nature the Hand-maid of Diuinitie enioyned the angrie Elements to rest a suddaine calme followed as if Waues and Windes would accompany the Iew in his deuotions and had forgotten their former furie and wonted nature to remember the sanctification of this Day The Iew hauing heard before that there was a Sabbaticall Riuer which some place in Aethiopia some in Phoenicia others they cannot tell where in a credulous fancie perswades himselfe that this Arme of the Sea was that Sabbaticall Streame and that he now saw the experiment of that relation with his eyes Fancie had no sooner affirmed but Superstition sware to the truth and Credulitie tickles him with gratulation of Diuine fauour to himselfe that had liued to see that blessed sight Rauished with this conceit hee fills his Budget full of the Sand which is of a more grosse and cleauing nature then in other places and carrieth it with him as a great treasure vnto the place of his habitation There hee tells his Countreymen that now the Messias would not be long before he came
agreeth the iudgement of Aquinas Praeceptum de sanctificatione Sabbathi ponitur inter praecepta Decalogi in quantum est praeceptum morale non in quantum est ceremoniale The Precept of sanctifying the Sabbath is set amongst the Precepts of the Decalogue as it is a morall not as a ceremoniall Precept It hath pleased him saith M. Hooker as of the rest so of Times to exact some parts by way of perpetuall homage neuer to bee dispensed withall nor remitted The Morall law requiring therefore a seuenth part throughout the age of the whole world to bee that way employed although with vs the day bee changed in regard of a new reuolution begun by our Sauiour Christ yet the same proportion of time continueth which was before because in reference to the benefite of Creation and now much more of renouation thereunto added by him which was Prince of the world to come wee are bound to account the sanstification of one day in seauen a dutie which Gods immutable Law doth exact for euer Thus farre Hooker This indeed in the Sabbath was Iewish and Ceremoniall to obserue onely that last and seuenth day of the weeke and that as a figure and lastly with those appointed Ceremonies and that manner of obseruation Thus saith Aquinas Habere aliquod tempus deputatum ad vacandum diuinis cadit sub praecepto morali Sed in quantum c. To haue some set time for the seruice of God is morall but so farre this Precept is ceremoniall as in it is determined a speciall time in signe of the Creation of the World Likewise it is ceremoniall according to the Allegoricall signification in as much as it was a signe of the Rest of Christ in the graue which was the seuenth day And likewise according to the morall signification as it signifieth a ceasing from euery act of sinne and the Rest of the mind in God Likewise according to the Anagogicall signification as it prefigureth the Rest of the fruition of God which shall be in our Countrey To these obseruations of Thomas we may adde that strictnesse of the obseruation That they might not kindle a fire on the Sabbath and such like And howsoeuer some testimonies of the Fathers be alledged against this truth and to prooue that the Sabbath was born at Mount Sinai as of Tertullian Iustin Martyr Eusebius Cyprian Augustine which deny the Sabbatizing of the Patriarkes before that time and account it typicall Why may not we interpret them of that Sabbath of the Iewes which we haue thus distinguished from the Morall Sabbath by those former notes of difference Broughton in his Concent alleadgeth the Concent of Rabbins as of Ramban on Gen. 26. and Aben Ezra vpon Exod. 10. That the Fathers obserued the Sabbath before Moses And Moses himselfe no sooner commeth to a seuenth day but he sheweth that God rested blessed sanctified the sume It resteth therefore that a time of rest from bodily labour was sanctified vnto spirituall deuotions from the beginning of the world and that a seuenth dayes rest began not with the Mosaicall Ceremonies in the Wildernesse as some men will haue it but with Adam in Paradise That which is morall say some is eternall and must not giue place I answer That the Commandements are eternall but yet subordinate There is a first of all the Commandements and there is a second like to this like in qualitie not in equalitie and in euery Commandement the Soule of obedience which is the obedience of the soule taketh place of that body of obedience which is performed by the body Mercie is preferred before sacrifice and charitie before outward worship Paul staieth his preaching to heale Eutychus Christ patronizeth his Disciples plucking the eares of Corne and affirmeth That the Sabbath was made for Man and not Man for the Sabbath Although therefore both rest and workes of the Sabbath giue place to such duties which the present occasion presenteth as more weightie and necessary to that time yet doth it not follow that the Sabbath is not morall no more then the Commandement of Almes is not morall because as Barnard obserueth the prohibitiue Commandement of stealing is of greater force and more bindeth And in a word the Negatiue Precepts are of more force and more vniuersally bind then the affirmatiue A man must hate his Father and Mother for Christs sake and breake the Sabbaths rest for his Neighbour in cases of necessitie And therefore such scrupulous fancies as some obtrude vnder the name of the Sabbath esteeming it a greater sinne to violate this holy Rest then to commit Murther cannot be defended Pardon this long Discourse whereunto the longer Discourses of others haue brought me But now me thinkes I heare thee say And what is all this to Adams integrity Doubtlesse Adam had his particular calling to till the ground his generall calling also to serue GOD which as he was spiritually to performe in all things so being a body he was to haue time and place set apart for the bodily performance thereof And what example could hee better follow then of his Lord and Creator But some obiect This is to slacken him running rather then to incite and prouoke him to bind and not to loose him cannot be a spurre but a bridle to his deuotion But they should consider that we doe not tie Adam to the seuenth day onely but to the seuenth especially wherein to performe set publique and solemne worship Neither did Daniel that prayed thrice a day or Dauid in his seuen times or Saint Paul in his iniunction of praying continually conceiue that the Sabbath would hinder men and not rather further them in these workes Neither was Adams state so excellent as that he needed no helps which wofull experience in his fall hath taught God gaue him power to liue yea with euerlasting life and should not Adam therefore haue eaten yea and haue had conuenient times for food and sleep and other naturall necessities How much more in this perfect yet flexible and variable condition of his Soule did he need meanes of establishment although euen in his outward calling he did not forget nor was forgotten Which outward workes though they were not irkesome and tedious as sinne hath made them to vs yet did they detaine his body and somewhat distract his mind from that full and entire seruice which the Sabbath might exact of him Neither doe they shew any strong reason for their opinion which hold the sanctification of the Sabbath Genes 2. to be set downe by way of anticipation or as a preparatiue to the Iewish Sabbath ordained 2453. yeares after If any shall aske Why the same seuenth day is not still obserued of Christians I answer This was figuratiue and is abolished but a seuenth day still remaineth Lex naturalis est coniunctam habens ceremonialem designationem diei saith Iunius The Law is naturall hauing adioyned thereto the ceremoniall
Passeouer Pentecost or Whitsuntide the Feast of Tabernacles These were chiefe to which were added the Feast of Trumpets of Expiation and of the Great Congregation To these we may reckon the seuenth yeeres Sabbath and the yeere of Iubilee These Feasts GOD had prescribed to them commanding that in those three principall Feasts euery male as the Iewes interpreted it that were cleane and sound and from twenty yeeres of their age to fiftie should appeare there where the Tabernacle or Temple was with their offerings as one great Parish Deut. 16. hereby to retaine an vnitie in diuine worship and a greater solemnitie with increase of ioy and charitie being better confirmed in that Truth which they here saw to be the same which at home they had learned and also better strengthened against the errors of the Heathen and Idolatrous feasts of Diuels To these were after added vpon occasions by the Church of the Iewes their foure Feasts in memory of their calamities receiued from the Chaldeans their Feast of Lots of Dedication and others as shall follow in their order They began to celebrate their Feasts at Euen so Moses is commanded From Euen to Euen shall yee celebrate your Sabbath imitated in the Christian Euen-songs on holy Euens yet the Christian Sabbath is by some supposed to begin in the morning because Christ did rise at that time As for the causes of Feasts many they are and great That the time it selfe should in the reuolution thereof be a place of Argument to our dulnesse This is the day which the Lord hath made let vs reioyce and be glad in it And what else is a festiuall day but a witnesse of times light of truth life of memory mistresse of life A token of publike thankfulnesse for greatest benefits passed a spurre to the imitation of our Noble Ancestrie the Christian Worthies a visible word to the Ethnicke and ignorant which thus by what we doe may learne what we beleeue a visible heauen to the spirituall man that in festiuall ioyes doth as it were open the vayle and here fides is turned into a vides whiles in the best exercises of Grace he tasteth the first fruits of Glory and with his Te Deums and Halleluiahs begins that blessed Song of the Lamb whiles time it selfe puts on her festiuall attire and acting the passed admonish the present ages teacheth by example quickneth our Faith strengthneth hope inciteth charitie and in this glimpse and dawning is the day-starre to that Sunne of Eternitie when time shall be no longer but the Feast shall last for euerlasting These the true causes of festiuall Times CHAP. V. Of the Festiuall dayes instituted by God in the Law AS they were enioyned to offer a Lambe in the morning and another in the Euening euery day with other Prayers Prayses and Rites so had the SABBATH a double honour in that kinde and was wholly sequestred and sanctified to religious duties Which howsoeuer it was ceremoniall in regard of that seuenth day designed of the Rites therein prescribed of that rigid and strait obseruation exacted of the particular workes prohibited and of the deadly penaltie annexed yet are we to thinke that the Eternall Lord who hath all times in his hand had before this selected some time proper to his seruice which in the abrogation of Ceremonies Legall is in Morall and Christian duety to be obserued to the end of the World euen as from the beginning of the World he had sanctified the seuenth day to himselfe and in the Morall Law giuen not by Moses to the Iewes but by GOD himselfe as to all creotures is the remembrance of that sanctification vrged Friuolous are their reasons who would renue the Iewish Sabbath amongst Christians tying and tyring vs in a more then Iewish seruitude to obserue both the last and first dayes of the weeke as some haue preached and of the Aethiopian Churches is practised Neither can I subscribe to those who are so farre from paying two that they acknowledge not the debt of one vpon diuine right but onely in Ecclesiasticall courtesie and in regard of the Churches meere constitution and haue thereupon obtruded on many other dayes as Religious respects or more then on this which yet the Apostles entituled in name and practice The Lords day with the same spirit whereby they haue equalled traditions to the holy Scriptures Thus Cardinal Tolet alowes on the Lords day iourneying hunting working buying selling Fayres Fencing and other priuate and publike workes by him mentioned and saith a man is tyed to sanctifie the Sabbath but not to sanctifie it well a new kinde of distinction the one is in hearing Masse and ceasing from seruile workes the well-doing it in spirituall contemplations c. Another Cardinall is as fast as he is loose affirming That other holy daies also binde the Conscience euen in cases voide of contempt and scandall as being truely more holy then other daies and a part of diuine worship and not onely in respect of order and politie But to returne to our Iewish Sabbath Plutarch thought that the Sabbath was deriued of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth to keepe Reuell-rout as was vsed in their Bacchanals of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is interpreted Bacchus or the sonne of Bacchus as Coelius Rhodiginus sheweth out of Amphithaeus and Mnaseas who is therefore of opinion That Plutarch thought the Iewes on their Sabbaths worshipped Bacchus because they did vse on that day to drinke somewhat more largely a Sabbatizing too much by too many Christians imitated which celebrate the same rather as a day of Bacchus then the Lords day Bacchus his Priests were called Sabbi of this their reuelling and misse-rule Such wide coniectures we finde in others whereas the Hebrewes call it Sabbath of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth To rest because of their vacation to Diuine Offices and not for idlenesse or worse imployments And for this cause all the festiuall solemnities in the Scripture are stiled with this generall title and appellation as times of rest from their wonted bodily seruices Likewise their seuenth yeere was Sabbathicall because of the rest from the labors of Tyllage In those feasts also which consisted of many daies solemnitie the first and last were Sabbaths in regard of the strictnesse of those daies rest Luke hath an obscure place which hath much troubled Interpreters with the difficulty thereof 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our English reades it The second Sabbath after the first Isidore saith it was so called of the Pascha and Azyma comming together Chrysostome thinkes as Sigonius cytes him it was when the New-Moone fell on the Sabbath and made a double Festiuall Sigonius when they kept their Passeouer in the second Moneth Stella takes it for Manipulus frugum alledging Iosephus his Author Ambrose for the Sabbath next after the first day of the Easter Solemnitie Hospinian for the Octaues or last
besides those that by diseases or other manifold lets were not partakers thereof and in regard of this Feast being assembled thither through GODS iust iudgement their whole huge multitudes were couped or caged together in the wals of this Citie to destruction vnder Titus The bloud of the Lambe they were to receiue in a vessell and to sprinkle the same with a bunch of Hysope on the doore posts and to eate it in the night which was the beginning of the fifteenth day roast with fire with sowre hearbes and vnleauened bread both the head feete and purtenance girded shod with staues in their hands in haste standing burning whatsoeuer was left of the same After the eating the Sacramentall Lambe standing they had other prouision which they eate sitting or after their manner of lying at Table in remembrance of their libertie as appeareth by Iohns leaning on his brest and Iudas his sop at Christs supper In the Law it was commanded that they should eate the Passeouer standing which they onely practised in the first celebration in Aegypt For so the Iewes set forth the difference of the Paschall night from other nights in their twice washing which on other nights they do but once in their vnleauened in their Endiue or sowre hearbes And whereas on other nights they sit or lie now they lie onely in token of their securitie The washing was therfore necessarie lest they should defile the beds whereon they lay with their dusty feete In which respect the Gentiles also vsed to wash their feete the Iewes their whole bodie And the Pharise maruelled at Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that he was not thus baptized or washed before he sate downe Some contented themselues onely with washing of the feete the want of which Office Christ obiected to another of his Pharisaicall hostes But in the Paschall rite a double washing was requisite because of their double Supper which in the flourishing state of the Iewes was also vsed in other their chiefe solemnities of the Pentecost and Tabernacles In the former they eate their Sacrifices in the later certaine Prayses were sung and it was called the supper dimissorie But this second Paschall Supper differed from that in other solemnities wherein they vsed iunkets which in this were forbidden and instead therof they had Endine and wilde Lettice mingled with Vinegar and other things which now they make as thick as mustard The Housholder first dipt his vnleauened soppe therein and eate it and then tooke from vnder the carpet or cloth another which he brake into as many pieces as he had Communicants in his company euery piece being as big as an Oliue which was giuen to each of them in order When he eate that sop first he said Blessed be thou Lord our God King of the world which hast sanctified vs with thy Commandements and hast giuen vs the precept of vnleauened bread And when he had eaten he said as he distributed to the rest This is the bread of affliction which our fore-fathers ate in the land of Aegypt Euery one which is hungry come and eate euery one which hath neede come and obserue the Passeouer After the destruction of Ierusalem they added these words Now we are here seruants but hereafter wee shall be in the land of Israel now we are here seruants hereafter in the land of Israel free After this he tasted of the Cuppe and deliuered to the next and he to the third and so on through the company This was called the Cup of thankesgiuing or of singing the Hymne which he deliuered with these words Blessed art thou O Lord our GOD King of the world Creator of the fruite of the Vine Then did they sing a Hymne and depart for the Canon forbad them to eate or drinke any thing after the Hymne These were the Paschall rites in the time of CHRIST who also vsed that reiterated both washing saith Scaliger and Supper and also the Hymne They were in the Eeuen of the foureteenth day to purge their houses of leauen and that throughout the Land where the Lambe might not be eaten All the Israelites were inioyned this dutie And they which by occasion of iourneying or vncleanenesse could not now celebrate the Passeouer were to obserue it the next moneth Numb 9. The day after or second day of this Paschall Feast they were to bring to the Priest a Gomer of the first-fruits of their Corne and a Lambe with other duties for a burnt offering to the LORD before which time they might not eate of the new yeeres fruites which at that time in those Countries beganne to ripen and so to acknowledge GOD the giuer thereof Philo saith That each priuate man which otherwise brought in his Sacrifice to the Priest Sacrificed or slew this Sacrifice with his owne handes And else where hee affirmeth the same Eleazarus or as other say the Synedrium ordayned three hundred and fiftie yeeres before the birth of Christ that the Passe-ouer should not bee solemnized on the second fourth or sixt day of the Weeke And therefore when it fell on the sixt day which wee call Fridaie it was deferred to the seuenth at the time of Christs Passion he with his Disciples ate it the night before according to the Law of God This Eleazarus ordained that the feast of Lots should not be celebrated on the second fourth or seuenth or Pentecost on the third fift or seuenth Or that of the Tabernacles on the first fourth and sixt Or the Fast of Expiation on the first third or sixt Or their New-yeeres day on the first fourth and sixt which decree is extant in the booke of Gamaliel Pauls Master which they did superstitiously to auoide two Sabbaths in so strict a rest together and carrying boughes on the Sabbath if that Feast fell thereon and on other such reasonlesse reasons After this sixteenth day of the moneth or second day of the vnleauened bread in which first of all sickle was thrust into the Haruest to offer the first fruits thereof vnto GOD were numbred seuen intire Weekes and the next day which was the fiftieth accounting inclusiuely was celebrated the feast of PENTECOST receiuing his name of that reckoning of fiftie And Schefuoth that is of Weekes because of this reckoning of seuen weekes it is called also the Feast of the Haruest of the first fruites the rites thereof are prescribed Leuit. 23. The institution was in respect of the Law then giuen on Mount Sinai and a type of that Euangelicall Law which Christ hauing ascended vp on high did write not in Tables of stone but in fleshly Tables of the heart when at the same time hee gaue the holy Ghost to his Disciples as a remembrance also of the Author of their Haruest-fruits and of their possession of that land where they had seede-time and haruest which in the wildernesse they wanted As the seuenth day in the weeke so the seuenth moneth in the yeere was in a great
the other beganne first to haue a being which hee further prosecuteth in many particulars But before we prosecute these Babylonian affaires after the Floud it shall not be amisse to shew here the Chaldaean Fables of Antiquities before the Floud out of Berosus a Chaldaean Priest which liued in the time of Alexander Polyhistor citeth out of Berosus his first Booke this report of himselfe and Tatianus saith he was the Priest of Belus and wrote his Chaldaean Storie to Antiochus the third after Seleucus in three Bookes His name signifieth the Sonne of Osee Alorus raigned the space of ten Sari Sarus with them is three thousand sixe hundred yeares Alasparus three Sari Amelus thirteene Sari Amenus twelue Metalarus eighteene Daorus tenne Aedorachus eighteene Amphis tenne Otiartes eight Xixuthrus eighteene in his time as is said before the Floud happened The whole space is an hundred and twentie Sari which amounteth to foure hundred thirtie two thousand yeares This I thought not vnfit although incredible to report from Berosus both because my scope is to declare as well false as true Religions it being not Theologicall but Historicall or rather Historically Theologicall and because the Ancients Cicero Lactantius Augustine haue mentioned this monstrous Computation of the Chaldaean Kalender which yet they racke higher to foure hundred threescore and ten thousand yeeres Here you haue the particulars out of Apollodorus and Abidenus which both borrowed them of Berosus Polyhistor addeth that there came one out of the Red Sea called Oannes and Annedotus a Monster other-where like a fish his head feet and hands like a man as saith Photius but Al. Polyhistor ascribeth two heads one of a fish and the other of a man the Image whereof was vnto his times reserued This Monster liued without meate and taught them the knowledge of Letters and all Arts buildings of Cities foundations of Temples enacting of Lawes Geometry and Husbandry and all necessaries to mans life Afterwards he returned to the Sea and after him appeared other such Monsters Foure of them came out of the Sea saith Abidenus when Daos whom Apollodorus calleth Daorus raigned their names were Euedochus Eneugamus Enaboulus Anementus Pentabiblus it seemeth was then their chiefe Citie That Oannes the first did write of the first beginning That all was darknesse and water in which liued monstrous creatures hauing two formes men with two wings and some with foure with one body two heads one of a man and another of a woman with the priuities of both Sexes others with hornes and legs like Goats some with Horse feet some like Centaures the former part Men the after part Horses Buls also headed like Men and Dogges with foure bodies c. with many monstrous mixtures and confusions of creatures whose Images were kept in the Temple of Belus Ouer all these ruled a woman named Omorkae which signifieth the Sea and by like signification of Letters the Moone Then came Belus and cut her in twaine and made the one halfe of her Land the other Heauen and the creatures therein appeared This Belus made men and beasts the Sunne Moone and Planets these things reporteth Berosus in his first Booke in the second he telleth of Kings before mentioned which raigned till the Floud After the Floud also the same Polyhistor out of him sheweth That Sisuthrus hauing by Saturnes warning before built an Arke as is before said and laid vp all Monuments of Antiquitie in Sipparis a Citie dedicated to the Sunne and now with all his World of Creatures escaped the Floud going out of the Arke did sacrifice to the gods and was neuer seene more But they heard a voyce out of the Ayre giuing them this Precept To bee Religious His Wife Daughter and Ship-master were partakers with him of this honour Hee said vnto them the Countrey where they now were was Armenia and hee would come againe to Babylon and that it was ordayned that from Sipparis they should receiue Letters and communicate the same to men which they accordingly did For hauing sacrificed to the gods they went to Babylon and digged out the Letters Writings or Bookes and building many Cities and founding Temples did againe repayre Babylon Thus farre out of Alexander Polyhistor a large Fragment of the true Berosus CHAP. XI Of the Citie and Countrey of Babylon their sumptuous Walls Temples and Images LEauing these Antiquities rotten with Age let vs come to take better view of this stately Citie Herodotus Philostratus Plinie and Solinus report concerning the compasse of Babylon That the walls contayned foure hundred and eightie furlongs situate in a large Plaine foure square inuironed with a broad and deepe Ditch full of water Diodorus saith That there were but so many furlongs as are dayes in the yeare so that euery day a furlong of the wall was built and thirtie hundred thousand Work-men imployed therein Strabo ascribeth to the compasse three hundred and eightie furlongs and Curtius three hundred fiftie eight ninetie furlongs thereof inhabited the rest allotted to Tylth and Husbandry Concerning the thicknesse of the walls or the height they also disagree The first Authors affirme the height two hundred Cubites the thicknesse fiftie They which say least cut off halfe that summe Well might Aristotle esteeme it a Countrey rather then a Citie being of such greatnesse that some part of it was taken three dayes before the other heard of it Lyranus out of Hierome vpon Esay affirmeth that the foure squares thereof contayned sixteene miles a piece wherein euery man had his Vineyard and Garden according to his degree wherewith to mayntaine his Family in time of siege The Fortresse or Tower thereof he saith was that which had beene built by the Sonnes of Noah And not without cause was it reckoned among the Wonders of the World It had a hundred Brazen gates and two hundred and fiftie Towers It was indeed a Mother of Wonders so many Miracles of Art accompanyed the same the workes partly of Semiramis partly of Nabuchodonosor which I would desire the Reader to stay his hastie pace and take notice of Euery where I shall not I cannot be so tedious in these kinds of Relations Diodor. thus addeth of Semiramis shee built also a bridge of fiue furlongs The walles were made of Bricke and Asphaltum and slimy kind of Pitch which that Countrey yeeldeth Shee built two Palaces which might serue both for ornament and defence one in the West which inuironed sixtie furlongs with high Bricke walles within that a lesse and within that also a lesse circuit which contayneth the Tower These were wrought sumptuously with Images of beasts and therein also was game and hunting of beasts this had three gates The other in the East on the other side the Riuer contayned but thirtie furlongs In the lower Countrey of Babylonia she made a great square Lake contayning two hundred furlongs the walls whereof were of Bricke and that pitchie Morter
of Berosus and other ancient Authors he sayth the Tyrians and Sydonians called him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the Greekes made Belus and so Mr. Selden also is of opinion that these names 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 differ onely according to the proprietie of the language and not indeed for the Grammarians obserue that the Chaldee words often lose that middle letter Elias in his Thesbi obserueth that Baal signifieth the act of generation which may well agree with those beastly Baal-rites before mentioned Baal is read in the foeminine gender Tob. 1.5 Rom. 11.4 In Photius is mentioned that the Phoenicians and Syrians called Saturne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 EL and Bel and Bolathes Lilius Giraldus out of Seruius affirmeth that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Assyrian language signifieth the Sunne from whence the Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is deriued some attribute this to the Phoenician tongue in which Hal signifieth GOD. The Assyrians named Saturne and the Sunne Hel. The Indians called that Hercules which Tully de Nat. Deor. numbreth the first Belus But we find no end of these Labyrinths D. Willet in his Comment vpon Daniel hath these words The Chaldaeans had fiue Idols three gods and two goddesses Their first god was Bel a name contracted of Behel which commeth of Bahal which signifieth a Lord to whom was built that Temple before mentioned The second was the Sunne which they called Rach that is a King because he is chiefe among the Planets and the Persians call him Mithra as Iustinus Martyr sayth Dialog in Triphon The Priests of this Idoll were called Raciophantae Obseruers of the Sunne Their third god was Nego the Fire so called of the brightnesse this was carried about among them the Priests were called Ortophantae Their first goddesse was Shacha which was the Earth worshipped also of the Romans vnder the name of Tellus and Opis of the Syrians called Dorcetha In the honour of this goddesse they vsed to keepe a feast fiue dayes together in Babylon during which time the Masters were vnder the dominion of their seruants one of which was vsually set ouer the rest and royally clothed and was called Sogan that is great Prince our Lords of Mis-rule seeme to deriue their pedigree from hence This festiuall time was called Shache whereof Babylon was called Sheshach of keeping this Feast Ierem. 25.27 and 51.41 Their other goddesse was Mulitia which was Venus whose Priests were called Natitae or Natophantae But the chiefest of their Idols was Bel. Hee also interpreteth those words Dan. 1.4 Whom they might teach the learning and tongue of the Chaldaeans of Schooles wherein youth was brought vp in good letters to bee after employed in the State So among the Egyptians they had the like vse where Moses was taught the learning of the Egyptians Among the Israelites eight and fortie Cities were appointed for the Leuites which were as the common Schooles and Vniuersities for the whole Kingdome Samuel and Elizeus had their Schooles and Colledges of Prophets yea the rude Indians had their Gymnosophistes and the Romans had their Colledges of Augures This Bel or Baal Idolatrie passed out of Asia into Europe euen as farre as these parts of Britaine For the Celtae and Britanni worshipped Abellio Belenus or Belinus as appeareth by inscriptions in Lipsius and Scaliger and our famous Antiquarie Mr Camden mentioneth an Altar in Cumberland inscribed Deo sancto Belatucadro And on the Coynes of Cunobelinus the Brittish King was stamped Apollo or Belenus which in heathen mysteries are the same with the Sunne playing on a Harpe and the name Cunobelinus makes euidently to our purpose Heliogabalus is another Syrian idolatrous title for the Sunne as appeareth by an inscription Soli Alagabalo for so also is that name written Neither is Gabalus from any other deriuation the name of the Romane Emperour Priest of that god whose name he vsurped deriued from the Hebrew Ahgol-Baal that is the Round or Circular Lord either in respect of the Sunnes Circular bodie and iourney or of that round stone which the Syrians conceited as the Troians of their Palladium and the Ephesians of their Diana to haue diuinely descended Such stones as Mr Selden in relation of those things obserueth were the Baetaelia or Betuli of the Ancients dedicated to diuers deities somewhat of fashion like fire round and sharpe vpwards the beginning of which Baetuli some deriue from Iacobs stone at Bethel In the seuenteenth Chapter of the second Booke of Kings is mentioned Succoth Benoth an Idoll of the Babylonians Beda interpreteth it the Tabernacles of Benoth and so the word Succoth vsed Amos 5.25 is by Saint Stephen Act. 7.43 interpreted And so doth the Glosse on that part of the Kings interprete where Lyra according to the signification of the words a Tabernacle of wings relateth out of Rab. Sal. that this Idoll was made like to a Hen brooding her chickens which Idols the Babylonians framed in worship of that constellation called by the vulgar the Hen and chickens and of the learned Pleiades as others did to the Sunne others to the Moone Some applie it to the mysterie of their Idoll which Christ the Trueth truly sayth of himselfe protecting his worshippers as a Hen her chickens My learned friend Mr Selden hath gathered by the signification of Succoth Benoth the Tabernacles of the daughters that thereby is meant the Temple of Venus Mylitta or Vrania where the daughters of the Babylonians sate as before is said to performe their filthie deuotions yea by an easie deduction hee deriueth the name of Venus from this Benoth B and u easily exchanged the moderne Iewes pronounce θ like σ Venos Suidas also calls her Binos And in Africa was a Citie called Sicca Venerea a name transported by the Punikes from this Siccuth or Succoth Benoth where was a Temple of like nature in which the women purchased their marriage-money by prostituting their bodies It seemeth the Idolatrous Priests carried the Tabernacle of their Idoll on their shoulder in apish imitation of the true Priests and Leuites for so Amos sayth Yee carried Succoth or Sicchuth your King Chiun your Images which Drusius interpreteth Moloch and Hercules In the fourteenth Chapter of Daniel as the Latines read is a large historie both of Bel a dead statue and of a liuing Dragon which the Babylonians worshipped The Priests of Bel were seuentie besides their wiues and children whose fraud and coozenage Daniel detected making it manifest by their foot-steps in the ashes which hee had strewed in the Temple that they were the deuourers of that huge portion of fortie sheepe twelue measures of meale and sixe great pots of wine daily consecrated for Bels breake-fast He after slew the Dragon also for which the Babylonians forced the King to lodge him sixe dayes among the Lions But howsoeuer generally more authoritie is to bee ascribed to the
hath written of seuen Elders in each City and those things which in the Talmud are written of their Politie had now first as some thinke their beginning Concerning this because it is not so common let me haue leaue for a larger discourse out of the Talmudical Sanhedrin which thus recordeth Matters which concerne goods are determined by three criminall cases by a Councell of three and twenty But such things as belong to a whole Tribe a false Prophet or the high Priest by the great Councell at Ierusalem of seuenty and one The high Priest iudgeth and is iudged he sitteth at Funerals on a little Seare all the multitude sitting on the ground The king iudgeth not and is not iudged giueth testimony against none nor none against him Hee maketh Warres but not without consent of the Sanhedrin he may not haue aboue eighteene wiues he ought to haue the booke of the Law written and hanging about his necke In ciuill causes each of the Litigants chooseth a Iudge or Arbitrator and both these thus chosen choose a third Of this Office are vncapable Dicers Vsurers and such as practise dishonest courses for gaine They also which are of neere kindred to the parties may neither be Iudges nor Witnesses Their Companions or Aduersaries may giue testimony but not iudgement Women and Seruants might not be witnesses Ios. Antiq 4.7 Nor a Thiefe Robber Vsuret Publican Child or keeper of Doues Ph. Ferdinand This last Ricius doth not mention but addeth a Gentile Foolâ— Deafe Blinde The ancientest witnesse is first examined and that from his owne sight or the debters mouth or else it is nothing Thirtie daies after sentence giuen the Defendant may alleage what hee can for himselfe The odde number is the casting voice In criminall causes decided by three and twenty one odde voice absolueth but there must be aboue twelue of the three twenty to condemne and when sentence is giuen nothing may be alleaged further for accusation which for absolution is lawfull And he which hath spoken for the accused may not after speake against him Ciuill causes are examined in the day and sentenced in the night but criminall only by day and sentence of condemnation may not be pronounced the same day and therefore on holy-dayes Eeuens examinations are forbidden Proselytes and Bastards may determine ciuill causes Priests and Leuits with other Israelites are required in criminall These Iudges sate in a semicircle hauing one Scribe or Register on the right hand another on the left In the Session-house were present besides three orders of Students which sate on the ground according to their degree out of which the number of the Senators were supplied when neede was so that one of the first order being made Senator another was chosen out of the second order into his place and out of the third in the roome of the second and out of the people into that third Order The witnesses must testifie only from their own sight and that exactly what seuenth yeere of the Iubilee what yeere of that seuenth what moneth what day of the moneth and weeke and in what houre and place hee saw it For to saue or lose an Israelite is asmuch as to preserue or destroy the frame of the World if one witnesse be ignorant of any of those circumstances or contradicteth another his testimony is vaine None of the Students which sit by may be suffered to accuse if they can say any thing in defence of the partie they may If they cannot finde sufficient to absolue him that day the Senators or Iudges scanne that matter seriously two or three together all night vsing a spare diet If twelue condemne and the rest cleere him they adde to the number of Iudges till they make vp seuenty and one to make further search When sentence is pronounced the condemned person is carried away and brought againe foure or fiue times to see whether hee or any other can say any thing for his purgation And if nothing bee alleaged sufficient to reuerse the sentence he is led to execution the Cryer going before him and proclayming the crime and sentence and accusers that if any can then say any thing in his behalfe he may speake When he commeth within ten cubits of the place of execution he is admonished to confesse his fault and so hee shall haue part in the life to come and if he know not the forme of confession it is enough for him to say Let death be vnto me the remission of all my sinnes Being within foure cubits he is stripped naked all but his priuities if it bee a woman shee is led forth in her cloathes The stoning place was built twice the height of a man from whence by one of the witnesses he was cast downe head-long the ground beneath being set with flints and if he died not with the fall another of the witnesses smote him neere the heart with a flint which if it did not finish his death the whole multitude cast stones at him They might not condemne aboue one in one day to death He which was stoned if he were a man was presently hanged on a Gibbet and after taken downe and buried with other persons which had before suffered in like manner When the flesh was there consumed his bare bones might bee laid in his owne or his fathers Sepulcher After this his friends and kinsemen went to the Iudges and witnesses and saluting them acknowledged the iustice of their fact Besides this punishment of stoning they punished with the fire sword or strangling The manner of burning was to put the condemned person in dung vp to the arme-holes and one executioner on one side and another on the other graned him with a linnen cloth about his neck pulling the same till they forced him to gape and then a bar or rod of burning metall was thrust downe into his body The sword was vsed in beheading Strangling was done with a course piece of linnen pulled close about his neck till he were dead It would be too long to shewe what faults were appropriated to each of these kindes of execution If a man had deserued two of them he was to be punished with the most seuere In some cases of homicide the guilty person was put in a little-ease prison where he was forced alway to stand and was fed onely with Barly till his belly rotted and his bowels fell out Any one might presently slay him which had stolne any of the holy Vessels or blasphemed the name Iehoua The Priest which exercised his function while he was polluted was not brought to iudgement but other Priests chosen to that purpose led him out of the holy place and knocked out his braines From the Sanhedrin was no appeale They were also called Mehokekim that is Scribes or Law-giuers because whatsoeuer they deliuered or writ was receiued for a Law Their Colledge saith Galatinus who from their fayling prooueth that the
Messias is come represented that Scepter by the holy Ghost in Iacob promised to Iuda and therefore not only vnder the Kings and Iudges did exercise iudgement but also when there was no King or Iudge in Israel Of their qualitie it is thus written They appointed none said R. Iohanan but men of wisedome stature and of goodly presence and of old age and cunning in exorcismes and vnderstanding the seuenty Tongues that they might not need interpreters Their Stature and comlinesse Rabbi Selomoh saith was required to acquire them reuerence and skill in enchantment to conuince such Wizards There were required the whole number of seuenty and one in determining the going to Warre in adding to a Citie or the reuenues of the Temple or in conuenting the ordinarie Iudges of the Tribes To constitute one of this number they vsed imposition of hands R. Iudas saith of fiue A Wolfe Lyon Beare Leopard and Serpent were to be slaine by the three and twent e. The great Colledge called Sanhedre ghedola consisted of seuenty and one the lesse of three and twenty That odde number aboue seuenty was to supply the roome of Moses which was ouer those first seuenty Hereby Galatinus gathereth that in the Councell that condemned Christ there was the whole number of seuenty and one which is true if Herod had not before disanulled that society The greater Sanhedrin ordained the lesse for those seuenty ordained all the Sessions of Judges which in other Cities and Places ruled the people and to this Court of the seuenty in Ierusalem they were all subiect The place where they sate was called Gazith that is Carued whereof this Court had the name as the Starre-chamber with vs Other Courts or houses of Iudgement they had diuers of the three and twenty One of them sate in the Gate of the Mountaine of the Temple another in the Gate of the Court others in euery Citie And when there was a controuersie it was first brought to that Citie or Towne and so to the rest if occasion required in order to that in the Gate of the Mount after to that in the Court-gate and last to the Gazith Consistory in which they sate from Morning till Night On Sabbaths and solemne dayes they sate on the Wall But when Herod obtained the Scepter he slew Hercanus and his sonne Antigonus which had beene King and Priest and also all of the seede Royall and burnt the Genealogies of their Kings And further to establish his Throne in blood hee killed the Scribes and Doctors of the Law and caused all the Sanhedrin to be done to death Because the Rabbanan they are the words of the Talmud had said according to Deut. 17. From among thy brethren thou shalt set a King ouer thee He slew the Rabbanan or Masters reseruing only Baba the sonne of Bota whose eyes hee after put out And therefore the Sanhedrin perished for as is said fiue or at least after R. Ismal three were necessary to the ordination by the imposition of hands But there were by Herods permission other Iudges instituted to be vnder the King like the former Colledge but had no authority of sentence in waighty and criminall causes and therefore they said to Pilate It is not lawfull for vs to put any man to death as some thinke But others maintaine the contrary Betramus taketh a middle course that the Iewes might examine and condemne but then were to present the condemned party to the Roman Magistrate for execution except in the cause of stoning wherein they tooke more libertie as in the Acts of the Apostles by Stephen and Paules example appeareth After their false sentence pronounced against Christ they were expelled from the Consistory Gazith fortie yeeres before the destruction of the Temple and afterwards by the commaundement of the Romanes were all slaine They being expelled Gazith held their Consistory at Hamith another place in Ierusalem but saith R. Abdimi with the place they lost their power in criminall Iudgements which might not bee giuen but in Gazith So do the Rabbines interpret the words Deut. 17.10 According to the words which they of that place shew thee thou shalt doe They had inferior punishments with the whippe for smaller offences In which the Law had stinted them at forty stripes and they abated one of that number for feare of exceeding as Paul saith Hee had fiue times receiued forty stripes saue one The whippe was of Calues leather as Drusius affirmeth Betramus saith that they had in each City seuen Iudges in money matters whereof three were principall two Leuites and one of the rest from whence the number is said to be but three They had also ten Aediles Taskers or Iudges of the Market one of which was of the Priestly Stocke They had in Ierusalem an vnder-Prouost or Captaine of the Temple In other Cities of their dispersion they had Synagogues and Magistrates as at Alexandria Antiochia Sardis and other Cities where they had obtained priuiledges and immunities That which is spoken of their threefold Consistory consisting eyther of 3. or 23. or 71. Buxtorfius thus relateth that that of 3. was appointed in such habitations which had vnder the number of 120. House-holders and that it behooued alwaies two of the three to agree in their sentence The other of twenty three was in greater Townes or Cities and dealt in greater matters the former in money matters this in criminall and in the Gates of the City and was called the lesse Synedrium The greater was at Ierusalem where the wisest was chosen to bee President of the Councell as successour to Moses Caput Curiae so they called him and Nasi the wisest of the other 70. was adioyned as his Colleague called Ab-beth-din The Father of the Consistory These two sate alone somewhat separate from the rest which made a halfe circle so that these two might see them all The manifold mutations of their State by the Babylonians Persians Macedonians Egyptians Sytians Romans and ciuil wars amongst themselues did both then change the face of Gouernement and haue made it now to vs obscure and vncertaine §. IIII. Of the Iewish Excommunications NOW concerning the Iewish Excommunications Drusius hath obserued that the Iewes had three kinds and degrees of Excommunications Niddui Herem Samatha the first signifieth a Remouing the second Anathema the third the same which the Apostle calleth Maran-atha by the first they are made 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of which is an example Gen. 4.4 excommunicated from the Ecclesiasticall Assemblies Hee which was thus Excommunicated was called Menudde and the denouncers Menuddim There were foure and twenty causes for the which it was inflicted If any died therein without repentance they iudged him worthy of stoning and therfore stoned his coffin whereof they giue example in one Eleazer the sonne of Henoch They might enter the Temple when they were excommunicated but that they might enter the Synagogue is vnlikely Thus they write
interprete but others in order not of the Elders alone but of the inferiour rankes also if any thing were reuealed to them which Tradition of theirs Saint Paul saith hee applied to the Christian Assemblies of those times They vsed to pray in their Synagogues standing as did also the Primitiue Christians Besides these Temples and Houses consecrated to God Ambition the Ape of deuotion founded some of other nature Herod the Great erected a sumptuous Temple and Citie in the honour of Caesar which sometime had beene called Stratonis turris and after Caesarea The Temple of Caesar was conspicuous to them which sailed farre off in the Sea and therein were two Statues one of Rome the other of Caesar The sumptuousnesse of Herods ambition in this Citie Temple Theater and Amphitheater c. Iosephus amply describeth He built another Temple at Panium the fountaine of Iordan in honour of Caesar and lest this should stirre vp the peoples hearts against him to see him thus deuoutely prophane and prophanely deuout he remitted to them the third part of the tributes Hee consecrated Games after the like Heathenish solemnitie in honour of Caesar to be celebrated euery fifth yeere at Caesarea He built also the Pythian Temple at Rhodes of his owne cost Hee gaue yeerely reuenue to the Olympyian Games for maintenance of the Sacrifices and solemnity thereof Quis in rapacitate auarior Quis in largitione effusior He robbed his owne to enrich or rather vainely to lauish out on others He spared not the Sepulchers of the dead For the Sepulchre of Dauid had lent before to Hyrcanus three thousand talentts of siluer which filled him with hope of the like spoyle and entring it with his choise friends hee found no money but precious clothes and whiles he in a couetous curiositie searched further he lost two of his company by flame as fame went breaking out vpon them Herevpon he left the place and in recompence in the entry of the Sepulchre built a monument of white Marble He built also Sebaste in the Region of Samaria wherein hee erected a Temple and dedicated a Court of three furlongs and a halfe of ground before it to Caesar Thus Caesar was made a God by him who would not allow Christ a place among men but that hee might kill him spared not the infants of Bethleem no not his owne sonne amongst the rest as this his god ieasted of him saying That hee had rather bee Herods Swine then his Sonne For his Iewish deuotion prohibited him to deale with Swine but not Religion not Reason not Nature could protect those Innocents from slaughter CHAP. IIII. Of the Iewish computation of time and of their festiuall daies THE day amongst the Iewes was as amongst vs Naturall and Artificiall this from Sunne-rising to Sunne-setting to which is opposed Night the time of the Sunnes absence from our Hemisphere that comprehended both these called of the Greekes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 containing one whole reuolution of the Sunnes motion to the same point of the Horizon or Meridian in twenty foure houres This Naturall day the Babylonians began at the rising of the Sunne the Athenians at the setting the Vmbrians as the Astrologians at Noone the Egyptians and Romane Priests at Midnight The Iewes agreed in their reckoning with the Athenians as did the Galli in Caesars time reporting Pluto to be the author of their Nation and some relickes hereof is in our naming of time by a seuen-night and a fort-night although otherwise wee reckon the day betweene two midnights The most naturall computation of this naturall day is to follow that order of Nature wherein darkenesse had the prioritie of time and the euening and the morning were made one day or the first day which saith Hospinian the Italian and Bohemian Clockes doe yet obserue The day was not diuided of the first Hebrewes before the Babylonian captiuity into houres but was distinguished by Vigiliae or Watches of which they had foure the first began at euening the second at mid-night the third in the morning the fourth at noone Neither is there any Hebrew word signifying an houre although some interpret the degrees of the Dyall of Ahaz to be houres some as Tremell halfe houres Afterwards it was diuided into houres twelue in the night and as many in the day not equall as ours but longer or shorter according to so many equall portions of the day or night so that with them the first second third fourth fift sixt seuenth eighth ninth tenth eleuenth and twelfth houre was answerable with our houres of seuen eight nine ten eleuen twelue one two three foure fiue and sixe if we consider them in the Equinoctiall otherwise they differed from our equall houres more or lesse according to the vnequall lengthening or shortning of the daies but so that an easie capacitie may conceiue the proportion These houres sometimes they reduced into foure the first containing the first second and third or with vs the seuenth eighth and ninth houres the second the fourth fift and sixt or after our reckoning ten eleuen and twelue of the clock and so forwards This was the Ecclesiasticall Computation according to the times of Prayers and Sacrifices imitated still in the Church of Rome in their Canonicall houres Thus is Marke reconciled to the other Euangelists in relating the time of Christs passion the first calling it the third houre when they crucified him or led him to be crucified whereas Iohn saith That it was about the sixt houre when Pilate deliuered him Thus may the parable of the Labourers in the Vine-yard bee vnderstood Matth. 20. and other places of Scripture The night also was diuided into foure Watches each containing three houres accordingly They had three houres of Prayer the third the sixt the ninth as both the Iewish and Euangelicall Writers mention the first of which they say Abraham instituted the second Isaac it began when it was halfe an houre past the sixt houre and continued till halfe an houre after the ninth at this houre the Disciples of the Wisemen tooke their meate which before this Prayer tasted nothing the third began when the former left and continued till the Euening And this was obserued both for their publike and priuate Prayers although it bee not likely that the whole time was that way spent especially in priuate deuotions for then their particular callings had beene frustrate and cancelled by this exercise of the generall Seuen daies were a weeke whereof the seuenth was called the Sabbath others had no particular name but were called the first day of the weeke or the first day of or after the Sabbath and so of the rest The Christians called them Feriae as the first second or third Feria for Sunday Munday Tuesday the reason whereof was the keeping of Easter weeke holy For that being made in their Calender the first weeke of the yeere and by Law being wholly feriata
Sadduces was diminished if not worne out after the destruction of the Temple till in the yeere 4523. or after Scaliger 4515. and Anno Dom. 755. one Anan and Saul his son renued that Doctrine because he had not receiued his expected promotion to the degree of Gaon He wrote bookes against the other Iewes The like did one Carçasnai But of these Sadduces too much §. V. Of the Hessees OF the Essees Essens or Hessees followeth in the next place Their name Scaliger deriueth of a word which signifieth Rest or quietnesse and silence both which well agreed to their institution He disproueth that opinion of Eusebius and others that therein followed him which thought these Iewish Heretikes were Christian Monkes and Catholikes Such Catholikes let Baronius and Bellarmine boast of as the Authors of their Monkes for so they would haue them which you may beleeue as well as before the Floud Enosh and after Elias Iohn Baptist the Nazarites and Rechabites were Monkish Votaries as the Cardinall would haue you As for these Essees hee makes no small adoe against the Centuries g for vnderstanding Philo of Iewish and not of Christian Monkes But the loue to Monkery hath dazeled the eyes of men too much and euen their Historie which followeth will conuince that opinion of falsehood Besides Christianity should haue small credit of such associates Indeed the later Monkes are much like them in superstition and idolatrie though farre behind in other things But he that will see this Argument disputed let him reade Scaliger his Confutation of Serarius the Iesuite He sheweth also that the Ossens Sampsaeans Messalians and diuers heresies amongst the Christians sprang from these Essees That the Egyptian Essees of which Philo speaketh out of whom Eusebius first collected that conceit and that Philo himselfe had no skill in the Hebrew but knew onely the Greeke tongue that Paulus the Eremite in Thebais was the first Author of Monasticall liuing But now to come to our Historie of these men These Essees Hessees or Essens are placed by Plinie on the West of dead Sea a people solitarie and in the whole world most admirable without women without money a Nation eternall in which none is borne the wearinesse of others fortunes being the cause of their fruitfull multiplyings Philo in that booke which he intituled that all good men are free saith that there were of them aboue foure thousand called Essaei quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Holy not sacrificing other creatures but their mindes vnto God Some of them are Husband-men some Artificers for necessitie not for abundance they make no weapons of war nor meddle with Merchandize They haue no seruants but are all both free and mutually seruants to each other They liue perpetually chaste sweare not at all nor lye esteeming God the giuer of all good and Author of no euill Their societie is such that one garment one house one foode one treasurie one getting one spending one life is in common to them all carefully prouiding for their sick and holding the elder men in place of parents Iosephus who himselfe liued among them doth more largely describe them He reporteth that they were by Nation Iewes auoiding pleasures and riches as sinnes accounting continence and contentednesse great vertues They marrie not but instruct the children of others respecting them as their kindred in their manners not denying the lawfulnesse of marriage but the honestie of women He which becommeth one of their fraternitie must make his goods common Oyle and neatnesse they shunne yet weare alwaies a white garment They haue officers for their common prouision They haue no one certaine Citie but in each many of them haue their houses to strangers of their owne Sect they communicate their goods and acquaintance and therefore carry nothing with them in their iourneyes but weapons for feare of theeues and in euery Citie haue of the same Colledge an especiall Officer which prouideth for strangers The children vnder tuition of Masters are alike prouided for nor doe they change their rayment till the old be worne They neither buy nor sell but mutually communicate Deuout they are in the seruice of God For before the Sunne riseth they speake of no prophane or worldly matter but celebrate certaine Prayers as praying him to rise Then by their Officers are each appointed to their workes till the fifth houre at which time they assemble together and being girded with linnen garments wash themselues with cold water Then doe they goe into their dining-roome as into a Temple where no man of another Sect may be admitted and there staying with silence the Pantler sets them bread in order and the Cooke one vessell of broth The Priest giueth thankes as after dinner also Then laying aside those their holy garments they plie their worke till the Euening and then suppe in like manner There is neuer crying or tumult they speake in order and obserue euen without the house a venerable silence In other things they are subiect to their ouerseer but at their owne choice may helpe and shew mercy to others To their kindred they cannot giue without licence What they say is certaine but an Oath they hate no lesse then periurie They studie the writings of the Ancient thence collecting such things as may benefite the manners of the minde or health of the bodie They which are studious of their Sect must a yeeres space endure tryall and then after that probation of their continencie must bee probationers yet two yeeres longer and then vpon allowance of their manners are assumed into their fellowship making first deepe protestation of Religion towards God and iustice towards men to keepe faith to all but especially to Princes and if they shall come to rule ouer others not to abuse their power not to exceede others in habit not to steale not to keepe any thing secret from them of their owne Sect or cummunicate it to another although vpon perill of life not to deuise new doctrines to keepe the bookes of their owne opinions and the names of the Angels Offenders they put from their fellowship and hee which is thus excommunicate may not receiue foode offered of any other but eating grasse and hearbs is consumed with famine except they in compassion receiue him againe in extremitie They giue no sentence of iudgement being fewer then an hundred If ten sit together one speakes not without consent of the rest They may not spit in the midst or on the right hand They will not so much as purge Nature on the Sabbath and on other daies do it very closely for offending the Diuine light and couer it with an instrument in the Earth and that in the most secret places and are washed after They are of foure rankes according to the time of their profession and the yonger sort of these are so farre inferiour to the rest that if one of these do touch them hee washeth himselfe
were once a yeere on the ninth day of the Moneth Ab allowed entrance into Ierusalem by Adrians Edict But then also saith Saint Hierome they are forced to pay for it that they which sometime bought the blood of Christ now must buy their owne teares There may you see saith he on that day whereon Ierusalem was taken by the Romans decrepit women and old ragged men annis pannisque obsitos and many wretched people but pittied of none with blubbered cheekes blacke armes disheueled hayre howling and lamenting for the ruines of their Sanctuarie in their bodies and habite bearing and wearing the markes of Diuine vengeance Of whom the Souldier exacteth his fee also for libertie of further weeping It is written in an ancient Iournall of Burdeaux that not farre from the Images there is a stone boared thorow to which the Iewes come yeerely and anoint it lamenting grieuously and renting their garments and then depart Beniamin an Hebrew Author relateth that one and twentie dayes iourney from Kupha through the Wildernesse he trauelled to the Region of Seba where dwelled Iewes called the children of Rechab or men of Theima which gaue Tithes to the Disciples of the wise who continually applied themselues to learning and to Sermons alway sitting in the Schoole and to the humbled Israelites and deuout persons which lament Sion and bewayle Ierusalem These dwell in Caues or in ruined houses fasting all the daies of their life except on the Sabbaths and Festiuals beseeching mercy continually at the hands of God touching the banishment and deportation of Israel they neuer eate flesh nor drinke wine The same also do all the Iewes of the Countrey Theima and of Talmaas pray All which go with rent clothes and fast fortie dayes for the Iewish captiuitie And so let them mourne which refuse the glad tidings of great ioy to all people that vnto vs is borne IESVS a Sauiour which is Christ the Lord But yet what rockie heart can but mourne with them and for them thus made spectacles to the World of bodily and spirituall misery which both in these times mentioned and before in the time of Traian and in all ages since hath pursued them in all places of their habitation if that name may be giuen to this World-wandring and Vagabond-people In the time of Traian Adrians predecessor the Iewes had rebelled in Egypt and Cyrene where they committed much outrage and mischiefe vnder one Luke their Captaine against whom the Emperour sent Martius Turbo who destroyed many thousands of them and fearing that the Iewes in Mesopotamia would do the like commanded Lucius Quietus to destroy them vtterly in recompence of which seruice executed to his minde he made him president of Iudaea Dion saith That the Captaine of the Iewes was named Andrew and that they slue many Greekes and Romans did eate their flesh gyrt themselues with their guts were imbrued with their blood and clothed with their skinnes many they sawed asunder from the crowne downewards many they cast to the Beasts and many were found to kill one another with mutuall combats so that two hundred and twentie thousand persons perished by this vnspeakeable crueltie In Egypt and Cyprus vnder their Captaine Artemion they destroyed two hundred and fortie thousand They were subdued by Traians captaynes specially by Lucius And it was made a capitall crime for a Iewe although forced by tempest to set foote in Cyprus Africa was re-peopled where they had destroyed with new Colonies No maruell if the Romans thus prouoked both in the time of Traian Hadrian destroyed so many thousands of them Iulian afterward gaue them leaue to return into their Countrie re-build their Temple more for hatred of the Christians then for loue to their Nation Whose wickednesse and answerable successe herein is plainely detected and detested by Gregorie Nazianzene and other Fathers as we haue before related §. III. Of other their False Christs and Seducing Prophets TO adde further of their bodily confusions and the illusions of their bewitched minds Nicephorus mentioneth a Pseudo-Moses of the Iewes in the parts of Arabia destroyed by the forces of the Empire together with his Complices in a like Rebellion Socrates describeth a further madnesse of theirs for true is that saying of Saint Paul That they which will not beleeue the Truth are giuen ouer to strong delusions to beleeue lies In the I le of Creete was a false Prophet that affirmed himselfe to be Moses which led the Israelites thorow the Red-Sea and to be sent from Heauen to those Iewes to conduct them thorow the Red-Sea into the continent of the holy Land This he perswaded them for the space of a whole yeere going from Citie to Citie And at last induced them to leaue their riches to them that would take them and to follow him at a day appointed he went afore them vnto a Promontorie of the Sea and there bid them leape in which many obaying perished in the waues and many more had perished had not some Christian Merchants and Fishers beene at Land which saued some and forbad the rest to follow The Iewes seeking to be reuenged of this counterfeit Moses could no where finde him and therefore thought him to be some Deuill in humane shape which sought their destruction and thereupon many of them became Christians Beniamin Teudelensis reporteth of one in Persia called Dauid Elroi sometime the Disciple of Hasdai which was Head of the captiuitie one learned in the Law and Talmud in forraine learning in the Ismaelites tongue and in Magike who gathered together the Iewes in Hhapthon and would needes warre on all Nations and winne Ierusalem affirming that GOD had sent him therefore and to free them from the Gentiles Many beleeued him to bee the Messias The King of Persia sent for him imprisoned him in the citie Dabasthan whence they are not freed during life But he three dayes after when the King and his Councel sate to examine and take order for this businesse came amongst them And when the King asked who brought him thither he said his owne wisedome and industrie The King bid lay hold on him but his seruants answered they could heare him but not see him and away he went the King following him to a Riuer ouer which Dauid stretching his hand-kerchiefe passed ouer and was then seene of them all who in vaine pursued him with their boates This Dauid the same day went ten dayes iourney from thence to Elghamaria and declared to the Iewes there all which had passed The Persian sent to the Calipha of Bagded that he should cause the head of the Captiuitie to perswade him to other courses otherwise threatning destruction to all the Iewes in Persia which Iewes likewise for feare thereof writ to the head of the Captiuitie He therefore writ to Dauid We would haue thee to knowe that the time of our deliuerance is not yet come nor haue we yet seene our signes and
found him writing accents therein that GOD euery day maketh deuout prayers that GOD hath a place a-part wherein hee afflicteth himselfe with weeping for bringing so much euill on the Iewes that euery day hee putteth on their Tephilin and Zizis and so falleth downe and prayeth that as oft as hee remembreth their miseries hee lets fall two teares into the Ocean and knocks his brest with both his hands that the last three houres of the day hee recreateth himselfe in playing with the Fish Leuiathan which once in his anger he slew and powdred for the feast whereof you shall after heare that hee created the Element of fire on the Sabbath day that the RR. one day reasoning against R. Eliezar because GOD with a voyce from a heauen interposed his sentence for for Eliezer the other RR. anathematized GOD who thereat smiling said My children haue ouer-come me But I am weary to adde the rest of their restlesse impieties against the Almightie Neither haue the Creatures escaped them Thus the Talmud telleth That GOD once whipped Gabriel for a great fault with a whip of fire that as Adam before Eue was made had carnally vsed both Males and Females of other Creatures So the Rauen which Noe sent out of the Arke was iealous of Noah lest hee should lye with his Mate that Iobs storie was fayned that Dauid sinned not in his murther and adulterie and they which thinke hee did sinne are Heretikes that vnnaturall copulation with a mans wife is lawfull that he is vnworthy the name of a Rabbine which hateth not his enemie to death that GOD commanded them by any manner of meanes to spoyle the Christians of their goods and to vse them as beasts yea they may kill them and burne their Gospels which they entitle Iniquitie reuealed Iniquitie reuealed indeed is the declaration of these things as of their opinion of the soule if it sinne in one body it passeth into a second if there also into third if it continue sinning it is cast into Hell the soule of Abel passed into Seth and the same after into Moses the soules of the vnlearned shall neuer recouer their bodies Two RR. euery weeke on Friday created two Calues and then did eate them Nothing ought to be eaten by euen numbers but by vneuen wherewith GOD is pleased Perhaps they had read in Virgil Numero Deus impare gaudet but this is common to all Magicians And what doe I weary you and my selfe anticipating the following discourse wherein wee shall haue further occasion to relate the like absurdities which yet if any deny they say hee denyeth GOD. §. II. Of the ancient Iewish Authors and their Kabalists AFter the Times of Christ Philo and Iosephus are famous and after the Resurrection of Christ the Iewes were of three sorts some true beleeuers others absolute denyers the third would haue the Christian Religion and the Iewish Ceremonies to bee conioyned in equall obseruation against which third sort the first Councell Act. 15. was summoned The moderne Iewes insist principally on the litterall sense of Scripture the Elder sought out a spirituall and mysticall sense accounting this a great matter the literall but small like to a candle of small value with the light whereof the other as a pearle hidden in a darke roome is found The Talmudists followed the allegoricall sense the Cabalists the Anagogicall As concerning this Cabala in olde times they communicated not that skill to any but to such as were aged and learned and therefore nothing thereof or very little is found written of the Ancient except of Rabbi Simeon Ben Iohai But the Doctors of the later Iewes lest that learning should perish haue left somewhat thereof in writing but so obscurely that few know it and they which doe account it a great secret and hold it in great regard So saith Elias in the bookes of the Kabala are contained the secrets of the Law and the Prophets which man receiued from the mouth of man vnto our Master Moses on him be peace and therefore it is so called and is diuided into two parts Speculatiue and Practike But I am not worthy to explaine this businesse and by reason of my sinnes haue not learned this wisedome nor knowne this knowledge of those Saints The word Cabala signifieth a receiuing and in that respect may bee supplyed to all their Traditionall receipts but in vse which is the Law of speech it is appropriated to that facultie which as Ricius describeth it by the type of the Mosaicall law insinuateth the secrets of diuine and humane things and because it is not grounded on reason nor deliuered by writing but by the faith of the hearer receiued it is called Cabala Or if you had rather haue it in Reuchlines words it is a Symbolicall receiuing of diuine Reuelation deliuered to the wholesome contemplation of GOD and of the seperated formes and they which receiue it are called Cabalici their Disciples Cabalaei and they which any way imitate them Cabalistae The Talmudists therefore and the Cabalists are of two faculties both agreeing in this that they grow from Tradition whereunto they giue credite without rendring any reason herein differing that the Cabalist as a super-subtill transcendent mounteth with all his industrie and intention from this sensible World vnto that other intellectuall but the grosser Talmudist abideth in this and if at any time hee considereth of GOD or the blessed Spirits yet it is with relation to his workes and their functions not in any abstract contemplation bending his whole study to the explaination of the Law according to the intent of the Law-giuer considering what is to bee done what eschewed whereas the Cabalists most indeauour themselues to contemplation leauing the care of publike and priuate affaires to the Talmudists and reseruing onely to themselues those things which pertaine to the tranquillitie of the minde As therefore the minde is more excellent then the body so you must thinke the Cabalist superiour to the Talmudist For example In the beginning God created Heauen and Earth saith Moses Heauen here after the Talmudist is all that part of the World which is aboue the Moone and all beneath it Earth also by Heauen hee vnderstandeth forme and by Earth matter the composition whereof hee effected not by labour of the hand but by that nine-fold Oracle of his word for so often is it mentioned and God said likewise hee findeth the foure Elements in those words Darkenesse Spirit Waters drie Land But the Cabalist frameth to himselfe two Worlds the Visible and Inuisible Sensible and Mentall Materiall and Ideall Superiour and Inferiour and accordingly gathereth out of the former words God created Heauen and Earth That hee made the highest and lowest things meaning by the highest the immateriall by the lowest this materiall and this is gathered out of the first letter Beth which in numbring signifieth two and insinuateth there these two Worlds Yea they also
Lord I haue sinned and done wickedly before thy face so and so haue I done and behold it repenteth mee of my wickednesse I am confounded for my workes I will doe so no more And thus ought all to say which offer sacrifices for sinne and they which are condemned to death for their crimes if they will that death doe away their offences But hee which hath sinned against his Neighbour ought to make restitution and aske pardon otherwise his sinne is not remitted And if his neighbour will not pardon him let him bring three other to entreat for him if hee then grant not he is to bee accounted cruell If the offended partie bee dead before let the offender bring ten men to his Graue and say before them I haue sinned against God and this man and let restitution bee made to his heyres 19. Prayer must bee vsed euery day Therefore they of the great Synogogue Ezra Zerubbabel and the rest ordained eighteene blessings and other prayers to be said with euery sacrifice They ordayned these Rites of Prayer the eyes cast downe to the ground the feet set together the hands on the heart in feare and trembling as a seruant speaketh to his Master a place where is no dung especially of an Asse and a Henne a window in the roome which looketh toward Ierusalem turning his bodie that way He which is blind let him direct his heart to his Father which is in heauen 23. The Sentence Heare Israel c. and another sentence is to bee written on the posts of the House He which hath his Phylacteries on his head and armes and his knots on his garment and his Schedule on his doore is so fenced that he cannot easily sinne 24. Euery Israelite is bound to write for himselfe a booke of the Law 29. Sanctifie the Sabbath that is Remember those things on the Sabbath which make to the honour and holinesse of that day And wee are perswaded that Sathan and the Diuels flie into darke mountains abhorring the holinesse of the day and after it is past returne to hurt the Children of men To apply spittle to the eyes is then prohibited because it is a medicine 40. Hee which is twentie yeeres olde and marryeth not breaketh the Precept of increasing and multiplying except it bee for contemplation and studie of the Law But if hee feele in himselfe Iezer Lust to preuaile he must marrie left he fall into transgression 52. If a man refuse to marrie the wife of his brother deceased without issue he must by the sentence of the Iudges pull off his shooe which must not be made of Linnen but of the Hide of a cleane Beast and the woman whiles she is yet fasting for then it is most truely spittle shall spit in his face saying So let it be done to him which will not build his brothers house 63. Hee which will eate the flesh of Beast or Birds must kill them after the due manner Nor may any be allowed to be a Butcher except hee know our Rites 98. When the Iudges dissent in any case the greater part is to bee followed When Sentence is past Execution must follow the same day and the Cryer must goe before proclaiming the Crime and Penaltie with the circumstances of Time Place and Witnesses If any can say any thing for his innocencie he may cause him to be carryed backe to the Iudges if he be led againe to death hee must haue two Wise-men by to heare his words that if they see cause he may be carryed backe to the Iudges If hee yet be found guiltie he must be led to the place of execution and there slaine by two Witnesses But before his death let them exhort him to say Let my death bee vnto mee for the remission of all my sinnes After this confession let them giue him a cup of Wine with a graine of Frankinsence to drinke that hee may be depriued of the vse of reason and made drunke and so slaine 112. Honour thy Father and Mother R. Simeon saith That the Scripture more esteemeth the honour of Parents then of GOD for we are bidden honour GOD with our substance but for thy Parents if thou hast nothing thou oughtest to labour in the Mill to succour them yea saith another thou must beg for them from doore to doore 132. At this time wee can sanctifie nothing because wee haue no Temple I might adde diuers other things of like moment which to auoyd prolixitie I omit and for the same cause I let passe many things which I might hither bring out of Munster in his notes vpon Matthew by him set forth in Hebrew and Latine where hee both relateth and refuteth diuers of the Iewish vanities especially their blasphemous cauils against CHRIST Such is that their foolerie by him recited in Matth. 15. Annotat. about their scrupulous niceties in their Festiuals They may not then take Fish Geese and Hennes they may When one maketh fire and setteth on the Pot hee must order the stickes so vnder it that it may not resemble a building No more then shall be spent that day may then bee made readie No Cheese may then be made nor hearbs cut Heat water to wash thy feet not so for thy whole bodie Touch not much lesse mayest thou eate an Egge layde on a festiuall day yea if it bee doubtfull whether it were then layd and if it be mixt with others all are prohibited But hee which killeth a Henne and findes Egges in the bellie may eate them According to the number of the three Patriarches Abraham Isaac and Iacob they expect a third Temple after those two alreadie perished interpreting the Scriptures of the first Hee heard mee from his holy Hill of the second ISAAC went to meditate in the field of the third The glory of this last house shall be greater then of the first c. Fit Iewish handling of the Scriptures But I haue beene so plentifull of their barrennesse that I feare to ouer-lade or ouer-loath the Reader Munster hath likewise written seuerall small Treatises of the Faith of the Christians and of the Faith of the Iewes and of the Iewish Cauils against our Religion and of diuers fabulous fictions which they haue deuised in disgrace thereof they that will may in them further see their blindnesse For what greater blindnesse then to thinke that their Messias was borne that day the Temple was destroyed and to remaine at Rome till that time when hee shall say to the Pope Let my people goe as Moses borne so long before at last said to Pharaoh That he should bee anoynted by Elias That he should destroy Rome That Elias shall re-vnite the soule to the bodie in the Resurrection which shall bee of all the Iust but not of all the wicked not in the same bodie but another created like to the former which resurrection shall bee effected by Messiahs prayer That the Temple at Ierusalem shall be
the very middle of the world That in the Messiahs dayes Wheate shall grow without renewing by Seed as the Vine But of these and the like more then enough in this booke following L. Carretus a Conuert from the Iewes setteth downe these size as the maine differences betwixt them and vs The Trinitie the Incarnation the manner of his comming whether in humilitie or royaltie the Law ceremoniall which the Iew holdeth eternall saluation by and for our owne workes which the Christian ascribeth to Faith in Christ crucified and lastly of the time of his comming whether past or present To these he thinketh all other may be referred But let vs examine the particulars CHAP. XIIII Of the Iewish opinions of the Creation their Ceremonies about the birth of a Child Of their Circumcision Purification and Redemption of the first-borne and Education of their Children §. I. Of their Exposition of Scripture a taste in Gen. 1.1 THeir Exposition of Scripture is so absurd that wee haue hence a manifest argument that as they denyed the Sonne that Eternall Word and Truth whose written word this is so that Spirit which indited the same the Spirit of Truth hath put a vayle on their heart and iustly suffered the spirit of errour to blind their eyes that seeing they should see and not vnderstand This will appeare generally in our ensuing Discourse but for a taste let vs begin with the beginning of Moses whereon R. Iacob Baal Hatturim hath left to the world these smoakie speculations The Bible beginneth with Beth the second letter in the Alphabet and not with Aleph the first because that it is the first letter of Beracha which signifieth blessing this of Arour that is a curse Secondly Beth signifieth two insinuating the two-fold Law written and vnwritten for Bereshith hath the letters of Barashetei first hee made secondly Lawes thirdly Bereshith the first word of Genesis hath as many letters as Aleph be Tishrei that is the first of Tishrei or Tisri on which the Iewes say the world began fourthly Bereshith hath the letters of Baijth roshe that is the first Temple which he knew the Iewes would build and therefore created the world fiftly it hath the letters of Iare shabbath that is to keepe the Sabbath for God created the world for the Israelites which keepe the Sabbath sixtly also of Berith esh which signifieth the Couenant of fire to wit Circumcision and the Law another cause of the creation seuenthly likewise it hath the letters of Bara iesh that is hee created as many worlds as are in the number Iesh that is three hundred and ten that the Saints might reioyce therein Now if I should follow them from these letters and spelling to their mysticall sententious exposition of greater parts of the sentence you should heare Moses tell you out of his first words that the world was created for the Talmudists for the sixe hundred and thirteene precepts because hee loued the Israelites more then the other people Againe that hee foresaw the Israelites would receiue the Law but hee is now an Asse saith he which beareth Wine and drinketh water There are in the first verse seuen words which signifie the seuen dayes of the weeke seuenth yeere of rest seuen times seuenth the Iubilee seuentimes seuen Iubilees seuen Heauens seuen lands of Promise and seuen Orbes or Planets which caused Dauid to say I will praise thee seuen times a day There are 28. letters in it which shew the 28. times of the World of which Salomon speaketh Eccles 3.1 There are in it sixe Alephs and therefore the world shall last sixe thousand yeeres So in the second verse The earth was without forme and voyde are two Alephs which shew the world should bee two thousand yeeres voyde now in the third verse are foure Alephs which shew other foure thousand yeeres two of which should bee vnder the Law and two vnder Messias §. II. Their Dreames of Adam NOw for the first man his body saith R. Osia in the Talmud was made of the earth of Babylon his head of the land of Israel his other members of other parts of the world So R. Meir thought hee was compact of the earth gathered out of the whole earth as it is written Thine eyes did see my substance now it is elsewhere written The eyes of the Lord are ouer all the earth There are twelue houres of the day saith R. Aha in the first whereof the earth of Adam or earthly matter was gathered in the second the trunke of his body fashioned in the third his members stretched forth in the fourth his soule infused in the fift hee stood vpon his feet in the sixt hee gaue names to the Creatures in the seuenth Eue was giuen him in marriage in the eighth they ascended the bed two and descended foure in the ninth hee receiued the Precept which in the tenth he brake and therefore was iudged in the eleuenth and in the twelfth was cast out of Paradise as it is written Man continued not one night in honour The stature of Adam was from one end of the world to the other and for his transgression the Creator by laying on his hand lessened him for before faith R. Eleazar with his head he reached a reacher indeed the verie firmament His language was Syriacke or Aramitish saith R. Iuda and as Reschlakis addeth the Creator shewed him all generations and the wise-men in them His sinne after R. Iehuda was heresie R. Isaac thinketh the nourishing his fore-skin He knew or vsed carnall filthinesse with all the beasts which GOD brought vnto him before Eue was made as some interpret R. Eleazar and R. Salomon but Reuchline laboureth to purge them of that sense who affirmeth that hee had an Angell for his Master or Instructor and when he was exceedingly deiected with remorse of his sinne GOD sent the Angell Raziel to tell him that there should be one of his progenie which should haue the foure letters of Iehouah in his name and should expiate originall sinne And heere was the beginning of their Cabala and also presently hereupon did hee and Eue build an Altar and offer sacrifice The like offices of other Angels they mention to other Patriarchs and tell that euery three moneths are set new watches of these watchmen yea euery three houres yea and euery houre is some change of them And therefore wee may haue more fauour of them in one houre then another for they follow the disposition of the starres so said the Angell Samael which wrestled with him vnto Iacob Let mee goe for the day breaketh for his power was in the night But let me returne to Adam of whom they further tell that he was an Hermaphrodite a man-woman hauing both Sexes and a double bodie the Female part ioyned at the shoulders and backe parts to the Male their countenances turned from each other This is proued by Moses his words So GOD created man
dye before the eight day he is circumcised at the graue without any prayers but a signe is erected in memorie of him that GOD may haue mercie vpon him and raise him at the day of the Resurrection In some places all the people stand except the God-father because it is written All the people stood in the Couenant But to pursue the rest of their niceties grounded vpon such interpretations would bee endlesse We will follow the childe home if you be not alreadie wearie and see what rout is there kept Ten must bee the number you haue heard of the inuited ghests and one or two of these learned Rabbins who must make a long prayer and Sermon at the table although others meane while are more busied in tossing the cups of Wine I was once present saith Buxdorsius at one of their Circumcision feasts and one of their Rabbins preached on Pro. 3.18 Wisedome is a tree of life but more woodden or ridiculous stuffe I neuer heard in all my life This feast they obserue by example of Abraham who made a great feast when the childe was weaned their Kabal peruerts it when hee was circumcised The Circumciser abideth sometime with the Mother lest the bloud should againe issue from the childe The mother keepeth within sixe weekes whether it bee a male or female all which time her husband must not so much as touch her or eate meate in the same dish with her If a female child bee borne there is small solemnitie onely at sixe weekes age some young wenches stand about the Cradle and lift it vp with the child in it and name it shee which stands at the head being God-mother and after this they iunket together §. V. Of the Iewish Purification Redemption and Education WHen the fortie dayes are accomplished before the wife may accompanie or haue any fellowship with her husband shee must bee purified in cold water and put on white and cleane garments Their washing is with great scrupulositie in a common watering or in priuate Cisternes or Fountaines which must bee so deepe that they must stand vp to the necke in water and if it bee muddie in the bottome they must haue a square stone to stand on that their whole feete may stand in cleere water and that the water may passe betwixt their toes for the least part not couered with water would frustrate the whole action and for this cause they lay aside all their haire-laces neck-laces rings they diue vnder the water so that no part may bee free from the same Some Iewesse must stand by for witnesse hereof which is twelue yeers old and a day at least They redeeme their first-borne in this sort when the child is one and thirtie dayes old his Father sendeth for the Priest with other friends and sets the child on a Table before him adding so much money or monies-worth as amounteth to two Florens of gold or two Dolars and a halfe My wife saith he hath brought me forth my first-borne and the Law bids me giue him to thee Doest thou then giue me him saith the Priest He answereth Yea. The Priest asketh the Mother if she euer before had a childe or abortion If shee answere No then the Priest asketh the Father Whether the childe or the money be dearer to him he answereth The childe then doth the Priest take the money and lay it on the head of the Infant saying This is a first begotten child which God commanded should be redeemed and now saith hee to the childe thou art in my power but thy parents desire to redeeme thee now this money shall be giuen to the Priest for thy redemption And if I haue redeemed thee as is right thou shalt bee redeemed If not yet thou being redeemed according to the Law and custome of the Iewes shalt grow vp to the feare of God to marriage and good workes Amen If the father dye before the childe be one and thirtie dayes old the mother hangeth a scroll about his necke wherein is written This is the first-borne and not redeemed and this child when he commeth of age must redeeme himselfe The Iewish Chachamim or Wise-men haue left no part of life vnprouided of their superstitious care as we haue seene concerning the birth and circumcision of their children with the Purification of the mother and Redemption of the first-borne To proceed with them they enioyne the mother while she giueth sucke to eate wholesome food of easie digestion that the Infant may sucke good milke so that the heart and stomacke be not stopped but may come so much more easily to obtaine wisedome and vertue For God hath great care of children and hath therefore giuen a woman two brests and placed them next her heart yea in the dangerous persecution vnder Pharaoh Exod. 1. hee caused the earth to open it selfe and receiue their Male children and created therein two stones from one of which the Infant sucked milke and from the other honie till they were growne and might goe to their Parents yea and if you beleeue their Gemara can you choose a poore Iew hauing buried his wife and not able to hire a nurse for his childe had his owne brests miraculously filled with milke and became nurse himselfe Yea Mardochaeus saith their Medrasch sucked the brests of Hester and for this cause did she after her exaltation so preferre him The conclusion is if she giue grosse food to her Infants she shall be cast into hell She must not go naked brested nor too long fasting in a morning nor carrie her Infants or suffer them to goe or be naked lest the Sunne hurt them if it bee in the day or the Moone in the night and that they may soone learne that the earth is filled with the Maiestie of diuine glory and for this cause must they beware that they neuer goe bare-headed for this were a signe of impudencie and ill disposition And as religiously they must prouide that they be alway girded with a girdle for the girdle distinguisheth betwixt the heart and the priuities and in his morning prayer he saith Blessed be thou O God which girdest Israel with the girdle of strength which if he should not haue a girdle on would be in vaine Their Mothers therefore sow their girdles to their coats with great care they auoid going bare-foot especially in Ianuary and February When they can speake they are taught sentences out of Scripture and to salute their Parents with good-morrow good-Sabbath c. and after seuen yeeres they adde the name of God God giue you good-morrow c. but they must not name the name of God but in a pure place These teach them the names of things in the vulgar and some Hebrew names among that so they may not commonly be vnderstood for pure Hebrew they cannot speake except their most learned Rabbines onely Their Children must not conuerse with children of Christians and their Parents make all things
bee shaue their heads on the Friday and very religiously cut their nayles beginning with the fourth finger of the left hand and next with the second then with the fifth thence to the third and last to the thumbe still leaping ouer one in the right hand they begin with the second finger and after proceed to the fourth and so forth These parings if they treade vnderfoot it is a great sinne but hee which burieth them is a iust man or which burneth them Now must they also whet their kniues and put on their Sabbath-holy-day-rayment to salute Malchah the Queene so they terme the Sabbath The Clarke goeth about and giueth warning of the Sabbath and when the Sunne is now ready to set the women light their Sabbath-Lampes in their dining roomes and stretching out their hands toward it say ouer a blessing If they cannot see the Sunne they take warning by the Hennes flying to roost The cause why the women now and at other feasts light the Lampes is Magistrally determined by the Rabbins because Eue caused her husband to sinne yea with a cudgell belaboured him and compelled him to eate which they gather out of his words The Woman gaue mee of the tree to wit a sound rib-rosting and I did eate Now after they had eaten the sunne which before shined as it shall doe in the other life diminished his light and for dimming that light shee lightens this And for three causes you shall beleeue their Talmud women dye in trauell for forgetting their dough wherewith to make Cakes with Oyle Exod. 25. for neglecting their termes and not lighting the Sabbath-Lampes which their Cabalists gather out of three letters of the name of Eue or Chauah These lights are two or more according to condition of the roome They begin their Sabbath thus soone and end it also later then the iust time in commiseration of the Purgatory-soules which begin and end with them this sabbaths-Sabbaths-rest being the whole weeke besides tormented in that fire Iudas himselfe in honour of the Christian Sabbath from Saturday Eeuen-song obtained like priuiledge witnesse Saint Brandon in the Legend can you refuse him who found him cooling himselfe in the Sea sitting vpon a stone which hee had sometime remoued out of a place where it was needlesse into the high-way So meritorious euen in Iudas is any the least good worke There did Iudas acquaint Brandon with this Sunday-refreshing of the hellish prisoners and desired his holy company to scarre away the diuels when they should after Sunday Eeuen-song come to fetch him againe which for that time Brandon granted and performed The Iewes will not quite emptie any place of water that on the Sabbath these fierie soules may finde where to coole them Two Angels attend them home from the Synagogue one good and the other euill which if they finde all things well that is Iewishly prepared for the Sabbaths honor the good Angell saith It shall be so the next Sabbath and the euill Angell will he nill he answereth Amen If otherwise the good Angell is forced to say Amen to the euill Angels denunciation of the contrary They feast it with much ceremonie pronouncing their blessing on the wine with looking on the Lampe to repaire that fiftieth part of their eye-sight which they say in the weeke time ordinarily is wasted they couer the bread meane-while that it should not see the shame thereof in that the Wine is blessed for the Sabbaths vse before it This good cheare on the Sabbath is of such consequence that for this cause in their Talmud is reported that a Butcher in Cyprus which still reserued his best meates for the Sabbath grew by Diuine reward so rich that his Table and all his Table-furniture were of gold You may receiue with like credite the Legend of Ioseph following who buying continually the best Fish to honour the Sabbath with it found in the belly of one of these Sabbath-fishes a Hat-band of Pearles worth no lesse then a Kingdome The Table remaineth spred till the next night The Lampes must not bee put out nor the light thereof applyed to the killing of fleas to reading or writing c. The good man must honour that night with more kindnesse to his wife then on other nights therefore eate they Leekes before Therefore also they marry on the Sabbath and the children then conceiued must needes be wise and fortunate If a Iew trauell and on Friday Eeuening be further from his home then a Sabbaths-dayes-iourney he must there abide be it in the midst of a Wood or Wildernes till the Sabbath be past They sleepe longer on the Sabbath morning so with their greater pleasure to honour it They then vse more prayers in their Synagogues and reade seuen Lectures of the Law They now also reade the Prophets They stay here till noone and no longer lest by longer fasting and praying they should breake the Propheticall commandement Thou shalt call my Sabbath a delight After dinner also they reade in their Law for on a time the Sabbath and the Law put vp their complaints to God for want of a companion and learner and the Israelites were giuen as a companion to the Sabbath and on the Sabbath a learner of the Law But for all this they talke not more busily all the weeke through of Vsurie buying and selling then on the Sabbath and haue their trickes to deceiue God Almighty Their Eeuen-song they haue soone done that they might returne and while the day yet lasteth make an end of their third banquet by which they are secured against Hell and against Gog and Magog They conclude it with blessings and singings till it bee late to prolong the returne of the soules into Hell for presently after they haue ended there is proclamation through hell to recall them to their dungeons In these Songs they call vpon Elias to come so iustly are they deluded who scoffingly imputed vnto Christ the calling of Elias But their Elias being busie as he sometime said of Ahabs Baal and not comming then they request him to come the next Sabbath But he it seemeth is loth to leaue his place vnder the Tree of life in Paradise where he standeth say they enrolling their good workes in the keeping of the Sabbath When this their deuotion is done the women in haste run to draw water because the Fountaine of Mirriam Num. 20. flowing into the Sea of Tiberias doth from thence emptie it selfe in the end of the Sabbath into all Fountaines and is very medicinable After this doe the Iewes make a diuision betweene the Sabbath and the new weeke The Householder lighteth a great Candle called The Candle of Distinction at whose light he vieweth his walls blesseth a cup of Wine and a little siluer boxe full of sweet spices powreth a little of the Wine on the ground and applieth the boxe to euery ones nose to smell to thus to remedie the stinke which is caused at the
the Feast in hope of like destruction to the Christians as befell Iericho and then renew the shaking of their boughes The seuenth day is most solemne called by them Hoschana rabba the great Hosanna as if one should say the great feast of saluation or helpe because then they pray for the saluation of all the people and for a prosperous new-yeere and all the prayers of this Feast haue in them the words of sauing as O God saue vs and O God of our saluation and as thou hast saued the Israelites and such like the prayers are therefore called Hosannoth Then they produce seuen bookes and in euery of their seuen compassings lay vp one againe This night they know their fortunes by the Moone for stretching out their armes if they see not the shadow of their head by Moone-light they must dye that yeere if a finger wanteth hee loseth a friend if the shadow yeeld him not a hand hee loseth a sonne the want of the left hand portendeth losse of a daughter if no shadow no life shall abide with him for it is written Their shadow is departed from them Some Iewes goe yeerely into Spaine to prouide Pome-citrons and other necessaries for the furnishing this feast which they sell in Germany other places to the Iewes at excessiue prices They keepe their Tabernacles in all weathers except a very vehement storme driue them with a heauie countenance into their houses Their wiues and seruants are not so strictly tyed hereto §. IIII. Of their New Moones and New-yeeres day THe New-Moones are at this day but halfe festiuall to the Iewes accounting themselues free to worke or not in them but the women keepe it intirely festiuall because they denyed their Eare-rings to the molten Calfe which after they bestowed willingly on their Tabernacle The deuouter Iewes fast the day before Their Mattins is with more prayers their dinner with more cheere then on other dayes and a great part of the day after they sit at Cardes or telling of Tales That day when the Moone is eclipsed they fast When they may first see the New-Moone they assemble and the chiefe Rabbi pronounceth a long Prayer the rest saying after him The Iewes beleeuing that GOD created the world in September or Tisri conceit also that at the reuolution of the same time yeerely hee sitteth in iugdement and out of the bookes taketh reckoning of euery mans life and pronounceth sentence accordingly That day which their great Sanhedrin ordayned the New-yeeres festiuall God receiuing thereof intelligence by his Angels sent thither to know the same causeth the same day a Senate of Angels to bee assembled as it is written Daniel 12. All things prouided in the solemnest manner the three bookes are opened one of the most Wicked who are presently registred into the Booke of Death the second of the Iust who are inrolled into the Booke of Life and the third of the meane sort whose Iudgement is demurred vntill the day of Reconciliation the tenth of Tisri that if in the meane time they seriously repent them so that their good may exceed their euill then are they entred into the Booke of Life if otherwise they are recorded into the Blacke Bill of Death Their Scripture is produced by R. Aben Let them bee blotted out of the Booke of the liuing and not bee written with the Iust Blotting points you to the Booke of Death Liuing that of Life and not writing with the Iust is the third Booke of Indifferents All the workes which a man hath done through the yeere are this day examined The good workes are put in one ballance the bad in the other what helpe a siluer Chalice or such heauie metall could affoord in this case you may finde by experience in Saint Francis Legend who when the bad deeds of a great man lately dead out-weighed the good at a dead lift cast in a siluer Chalice which the dead partie had sometime bestowed on Franciscan deuotion and weighed vp the other side and so the Diuels lost their prey GOD say they pronounceth sentence of punishment or reward sometime in this life to bee executed sometime in the other In respect hereof their Rabbines ordaine the moneth before to be spent in penance and morning and Eeuening to sound a Trumpet of a Rams-horne as Aue Marie Bell to warne them of this Iudgement that they may thinke of their sinnes and besides to befoole the Diuell that with this often sounding being perplexed hee may not know when this New-yeeres day shall bee to come into the Court to giue euidence against them The day before they rise sooner in the morning to mutter ouer their prayers for remission and when they haue done in the Synagogue they goe to the graues in the Church-yard testifying that if GOD doe not pardon them they are like to the dead and praying that for the good workes of the Saints the iust Iewes there buried hee will pitty them and there they giue large almes After noone they shaue adorne and bathe themselues that they may be pure the next day for some Angels soyled with impuritie heere below are faine to purge themselues in the fierie brooke Dinor before they can prayse GOD how much more they and in the water they make confession of their sins the confession containeth two and twentie words the number of their Alphabet and at the pronouncing of euery word giue a knocke on their brest and then diue wholly vnder water The Feast it selfe they begin with a cup of Wine and New-yeere Salutations and on their Table haue a Rammes head in remembrance of That Ramme which was offered in Isaacks stead and for this cause are their Trumpets of Rams-horne Fish they eate to signifie the multiplication of their good workes they eate sweet fruits of all sorts and make themselues merry as assured of forgiuenesse of their sinnes and after meat all of all sorts resort to some bridge to hurle their sinnes into the water as it is written Hee shall cast all our sinnes into the bottome of the Sea And if they there espie any fish they leape for ioy these seruing to them as the scape-goate to carrie away their sinnes At night they renew their cheere and end this feast §. V. Of their Lent Penance and Reconciliation Fast. FRom this day to the tenth day is a time of Penance or Lent wherein they fast and pray for the cause aforesaid and that if they haue beene written in the Booke of Death yet God seeing their good works may repent and write them in the Life-Booke Thrice a day very earely they confesse three houres before day and surcease suits at Law c. And on the ninth day very earely they resort to the Synagogue and at their returne euery male taketh a Cocke and euery female a Henne if she be with childe both and the housholder saying out of the hundred and fift Psalme verses 17 18 19
stretcheth from the Assyrians to the falls of Nilus all warriours halfe naked in coloured jackes None ploweth or planteth but they wander vp and downe without houses or lawes their life being alwayes in flight Their wiues they hire couenant with for a time which breed child in one place and bring forth in another and neuer rest Their food is Venison Milke Hearbes and such Fowles as they can take the most that wee haue seene know not the vse of Wheat or Wine Like Kites they snatch their prey but stay not by it whether they winne or lose They are such as the Romanes need neuer wish them their friends or their enemies In the time of Iulian they made out-rodes and spoyles on the Roman Prouinces because they were denied their wonted stipends by Iulian who told them that hee had better store of iron then gold Saint Hierome interpreteth that Prophesie concerning Ismael That hee should be a wilde man his hand against euery one and euery mans hand against him of this robbing rouing roguing life of his posteritie Significat semen eius habitaturum in eremo id est Saracenos vagos incertisque sedibus qui vniuersas gentes quibus desertum ex latere iungitur incursant impugnantur ab omnibus In his second Booke against Iouinian hee testifieth that their food was the milke and flesh of Camels a creature easily bred in those barren desarts but they thought it vnlawfull to eate swine flesh and that swine were seldome or not at all found among them The Prophet Ieremy reckoneth their Tents Camels and Flockes as their greatest wealth in that his Prophesie of their destruction by Nabuchodonosor This name Saracene may well befit that course of life which they embraced In the more Southerly parts of Arabia they are more ciuill and rich dwelling in Cities and haue quicke trade which all are wanting about Medina and Mecca places so renowmed by the life and death of Mahomet Neither doth it seeme probable that those which are called Agarens in the continued succession of so many ages as appeareth 1. Chron. 5.10 and Psam 83.6 would after grow ashamed of that or that Ishmael which derided the hopes conceiued of ISAAC the sonne of SARA would nourish his posteritie in the same hope or leaue them any honourable memory of SARA who had reiected him together with his mother Yea and their owne superstitious Legend proueth the contrary as shall appeare in the next Chapter For their Religion in old times One saith That the Saracens adore the Starre of Venus and in their praying cry Alla oua cubar that is God and Venus Ioannes Meurfius noteth thereon That they worshipped the Image of Venus set on a great stone on which they beleeue that Abraham lay with Hagar or else that hee tied his Camell thereunto while hee was sacrificing Isaac Scaliger calleth her Chubar and Chobar and saith that neither Circumcision nor the Friday Sabbath were of Mahomets institution but of ancient time both those rites had beene vsed by the Arabians and left by him as hee found them Herodotus testifieth that the Arabians worshipped Alilat which is the Moone for still they call the Moone newly horned Helal and the Turkes and Saracens salute the new Moone at her first appearance with a kind of veneration In Sylburgius his Saracenica is reported that the Saracens till the time of Heraclius worshipped the Morning-starre and Venus which they called Chabar that is Great Cedrenus also affirmeth this to bee an ancient superstition of the Arabians in worship of Venus whose Starre they say is Lucifer the Morning Starre which for the greatnesse they call in their language Cubar to this day saith hee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 naming VENVS a god For proofe whereof we will vnfold a great mysterie of theirs The workes of their profane prayer are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Alla alla signifieth GOD GOD Oua greater Cubar great or Luna and Venus that is GOD is the greater GOD and Venus a great god And certaine both in earth and in their Paradise their chiefe deuotions seeme still to hold of Venus In the beginning of the Spring and in the beginning of Autumne the Sunne entering into Aries and Libra the Arabians vsed which they had borrowed from the Zechiam and Albarachuma people of India to cast stones vpon heapes being naked and bare-headed with great cries and going about their Idols kissing the corners in honour of their gods This they vsed at Mecca in honour of Venus and therefore in that solemnitie did they cast stones vnder their priuities because those parts were vnder her dominion Onely whereas nakednesse was immodest some ordained that they should bind a cloth about their reines This Mahomet found before his time and did not reiect as hee did some Idolatrous Rites but in their pilgrimage Rites they still obserue it Properly they called the morning Starre Chobar or Chubar but as the Phoenician Astarte was with them in their confused worship both Iuno Venus and the Moone So they intended the like in this Arabian deitie For as Orania and Alilat and Venus were the same as Herodotus auerreth so the same confusion of deuotion was in Arabia as well as in their neighbour-countrey Phoenicia Their Circumcision it seemeth came from Ishmael and the rest of Abrahams sons of old their friday-Friday-sabbath from this Chubar-deuotion both before Mahomets time as was also the abstinence from Swines-flesh as we before haue obserued out of Saint Hierome who also mentioneth this their worship of Chobar so interpreting those words of Amos The Starre of your God that is saith hee Chobar or Lucifer which the Saracens still worship to this day And in the life of Hilarion hee telleth that Hilarion passing thorow the Desart came to a Citie or Towne called Elusa on that very day whereon their Annuall solemnitie had gathered all the people into the Temple of Venus for they worship her for the Morning-Starre to the worship whereof the Saracen Nation is addicted These hearing that Hilarion passed by who had before cured many of them came flocking about him with their wiues and children crying in Syriake Barah that is Blesse vs Hee in courteous and milde words perswaded them rather to worship the liuing God then those stones promising if they would beleeue in Christ hee would visite them oftner Maruellous was the grace of God they suffered him not thence to depart before he had laid the line for building of a Church and their Priest crowned as hee was was marked with the signe of Christ Thus farre Hierome Some of the Arabians dwell in Cities some in the Desarts those better ciuilized fit for Arts these which inhabit the Desarts are called Bedauyae or Beduois that is the people of the Desart exceed in numbers and wander without houses vsing tents made of Cotton wooll or of Goats and Camels haire alway mouing and remoouing as water and pasture mooue them carrying
the Aethiopian and Calliata Ellecedi which vpon emulation composed also euery one an Alcoran glory of those their Workes containing more honestie and truth Neither hath it pleased any noble or wise man but the rude vulgar of which sore the wearie Labourers gladly gaue eare to his promise of Paradise the poore delighted to heare of Gardens in Persia and Bankrupts and Felons easily listened to securitie and libertie The language is vulgar Postellus also testifieth and without all Art of Grammar such as is obserued of their learned Writers without all bounds of reason or eloquence The Method is so confused that our Arabian Author who liued before it was so generally embraced and in freer times saith That hee had heard euen good Saracens affirme with griefe that it was so mixed and heaped together that they could finde no Reason in it Bad Rime as you haue heard and worse Reason Hierome Sauanorola hath the like saying That no man can finde herein any order Nor could so confused and foolish a Worke proceed from any naturall or supernaturall light It is yet craftily contriued when hee hath set downe some wicked doctrine presently to lace and fringe it with precepts of Fasting Prayer or good manners alwayes taking away things hard to bee beleeued or practised and where it deliuereth any truth it is maymed with defect eclipsed with obscuritie and serueth for a stale to falshood Erpenius hath translated the Chapiter of Ioseph containing a hundred and eleuen Verses the second of which calls it Coran and the next Alcoran the Article added His Annotation is Per verbum Dei intelligunt legem suam qua Coranus ipsis dicitur quam Muhamed ijs persuasit coelitus ad se demissam And although the matter bee absurd and impious yet he saith others perhaps haue of zeale said otherwise that this Coran is composed with such puritie of speech accurate analogie and expressed with perfection of writing that deseruedly it is to them the matter and rule of Grammar They call it Koran of a word which signifies to read as a reading Lecture or collection of Chapiters as the learnedst Arabs will haue it It is not much lesse then the New Testament in words The Arabs extoll it aboue all creatures and ranke it next to God and thinke him vnworthy to liue which toucheth it vnreuerent as a contemner of God They vse it therefore with all reuerence nor will permit a Christian or a Iew to touch it to sit on it is a grieuous crime capitall to Iewes or Christians Nor may they themselues touch it vnwashed and therefore write on the couer thereof Let no man touch it but he which is cleane In it are one hundred and fourteen Chapiters of vnequall quantitie that of Ioseph the twelfth the second as large as the last fortie The first is but of six Verses and therefore not reckoned a Chapiter by our Country-man Robert of Reading who also diuides the fiue following into more by tenne that the seuenth is his seuenteenth Euery Chapiter hath the name of the first word or of the subiect as this is called Ioseph the first opening because it presents it selfe at the opening of the booke It was composed out of diuers papers of Muhamed found at his house which hee professed to receiue from Gabriel at diuers times by Abubecr his father in law the Numa of that Saracen Empire Each Chapiter is called Souraton and with the Article Assurato whence the Latine call it Azoara z. for ss and o. a for o. u as in the word Alcoran it is not to be construed vultus but gradus a degree or step for these steps the whole is passed and each of these was a lesson also to be conned of children and of his disciples After these fancies had caused him to bee expelled Mecca he fled ten dayes off to Iatfrib and there diuulged the rest This is called Medina and Medinatalnabi the Citie of the Prophet and hence some Chapiters haue title of Mecca some of Medina This flight was the fifteenth of Iuly at night A. 622. which is their Aera or computation of their yeeres reckoned by the Moone so that their 1026. began the twentie ninth of December A. D. 1616. Euery Chapiter consists of Verses very vnequall and lame affected rithmes Yea sometimes a sentence is patched in to make vp a rithme Before euery Chapiter is prefixed Bismillahirrahmanirrahimi for so they read it coined together with Articles as if it were all one word the signification is In nomine Dei miseratoris misericordis that is In the name of God shewing mercie mercifull which is as much as summè misericordis exceedingly mercifull or mercifull in Act and Nature To these words they ascribe innumerable mysteries and vertues so that they thinke that almost no worke can haue good successe vnlesse they preface it with this sentence Therefore in the beginning of their bookes they vse it and whatsoeuer businesse they goe about if it be to mount their horse or set forth to rowe a boat c. as I haue beene told Also there are in the beginning of Chapiters fourteene mysticall words of the signification whereof the Arabs professe their vncertaintie and Abubecr was wont to say That in euery booke God kept somewhat secret to himselfe which in the Alcoran were those mysticall beginnings of Chapiters Diuers haue diuersly deuised to hunt out Cabalisticall senses and state-periods with other vanities from them They hold that all the Alcoran was sent in one night which they call therefore nox demissionis nox potentiae and lest it might breed a contradiction that some parts were deliuered at Mecca for so it must be written not Mecha they say that Muhamed receiued them by pieces of the Angell as occasions required but hee from God all in one night and so they will haue the name signifie also a booke sent from heauen Thus much Erpenius in his Annotations on that Chapiter wherein also he blameth the old translation of Robert Reading as in other things so in that that when his mistresse brought Ioseph before other women they were all saith the translation menstruous and cut their hands saying hee was rather an Angel then a man He translates for menstruate sunt magnificarunt eum they magnified him adding concerning that cutting off the hand that it is still an vse of the Arabs Persians and people of the East to expresse loue My friend Mr. Bedwel fortie yeeres studious of Arabike hath told mee that that translation of Reading is generally reasonable well done nor is so faultie as some will haue it or much reading supply that way As for other supply it needs a sword like that Gordian knot rather then a penne that as by the sword it hath beene obtruded on the world as a iust punishment of ingratitude to the Sonne of God the eternall Truth and not by reasons or Scriptures which it corrupts mingles mangles maimes as the Impostors obliuion sometimes sometimes
make way for the Ianizaries and to wearie the Enemy with multitude Many voluntaries also attending the Campe in hope to succeed the slaine Spahi or Ianizaries When they march the Tartars scowre the Countrey two dayes iourney before then follow the Achingi and after them the Timariots next the Iemoglans after them the Ianizaries then the Chauses on horse-backe the Sultan followes with the Officers of his Court and Archers of his Guard foot-men the stipendary Spahi marching on either side of him His Coaches which carry the Pages and Eunuchs come after and then the carriages and Voluntaries The Royall Standard is a horse tayle tied to the end of a staffe The Ianizaries haue woodden modells of Elephants boots swords and the like borne before them Beglerbeg signifieth Lord of Lords of which were wont to be two one in Europe another in Asia but by Solyman increased that though Romania and Natolia haue still the chiefe titles yet in Europe are foure others in Asia before these Persian warres nine and twentie in Africa foure in all nine and thirtie which are as Vice-royes and haue their Begs or Sanzacks vnder them His Admiralls place is as great by Sea If these great ones doe iniustice the oppressed will sometimes in troupes attend the comming forth of the Emperour and by burning straw on their heads or holding vp torches prouoke his attention who being brought by his Mutes deliuer their Petition which often turnes to the ruine of the other Bribery is but lately knowne yet now the best Aduocate Euery Bassa keepes a Diuan or Court of Iustice in his Prouince the chiefe is at Constantinople foure dayes of the weeke in the Seraglio whence is no appeale but to the Musti The Great Visier Bassa is President of the rest in three dayes all causes are determined All they haue for assurances of purchases is a little schedule manifesting the possession of the Seller which vnder-written by the Cadi frustrates all after-claimes and as for law-querks they are vnknowne Rebellions rarely happen both because the greatest Commander submits his necke to the Executioners bow-string sent with Commission by the Tyrant enclosed in a boxe neither may any hope for partakers in resisting where one mans fall is anothers rising their kindred and alliance not so much as knowne to themselues to haue had eminent parents is argument of neglect of ruine to be beloued and for wealth they are but spunges all which a greedie life hath sucked being strained at their death except what the Grand Signior pleaseth to bestow on their posteritie Neither may any slaue promise much to himselfe where damnable policie strangleth the Imperiall bloud if males and the issue of the females by their slaues for so is the greatest Bassa giuen by the Sultan when made husband to his sister or daughter rarely attaine aboue the degree of a priuate Captaine This great Empire may be coniectured to grow neere a period in respect it hath lately decreased Eastward and in the Sea-forces their discipline is neglected and not exacted to ancient rigour their late Emperours effeminate the bowells of the State much infested with rebellions and it hath alreadie been a long-liued Tyrannie out-liuing the wonted period It may seeme the greatest Empire now in being yet is that of China farre exceeding in reuenues in naturall situation for defence in Prouinces better vnited and better peopled not inferiour in that kinde of policie which preuents alienations and rebellions but in Souldiery not to bee compared except we say herein he hath full recompence that hee is strong enough in that kinde which cares not to conquer nor need feare to be conquered The Persian hath not so vast Countries subiect but better subiection and himselfe a better Commander and his Souldiers better disciplined and experimented The Mogoll is great wealthy and mightie but Asia is not comparable to European valour But compare the Turkish greatnesse to that of some of the first Califas which stretched from India to Spaine France and Barbary or to the Tartarian which awed more in Asia then euer Turke possessed in the Vniuerse perhaps twice told for proofe read our Tartarian Relations and yet they pierced as farre as Austria in Europe ouer-running Russia Polonia Hungaria and making Italy to quake with the rumour of their armes or to the Roman which held almost all the Turke hath when it was better worth the holding besides this Westerne World which the Turke knowes not Herein I thinke the Turke ouer-matched beyond comparison nor any whit exceeding the power and possessions of Alexander no nor the Persian greatnesse before him except in martiall discipline wherein they now also degenerate Thus much of Turkish affaires of state if we adde also this Summa totalis for a conclusion that the Turke commands on the Sea-coast after some mens Arithmetike 11280. miles in Asia Afrike and Europe and the superficies of all his Dominions come to a million two hundred three thousand two hundred and nineteene miles euery way square Let the Author answer it if the summe be transcendent The Turkes reuenues besides his Timariots are esteemed but fifteene millions of Sultanies which may seeme strange in so huge an Empire But tyrannie in wasting and desolating Nations and Lording ouer euery mans estate none willing to toyle for that whereof he hath no certaintie nay which may procure him the greater danger hath caused thin habitations I except the Cities and poor inhabitants To this his reuenue may be added his taxes customes spoyles and extortions as the greater fish preying on the smaller and pray to the greatest so here the great ones spoyling others and themselues spoyled of all with their liues or else necessarily leauing him their heire at their deaths §. VI. An Appendix touching the succession of MVSTAPHA twice and of OSMANS murther and other ciuill vnciuill late Combustions ACHMET before he died to make all sure resolued to strangle his brother Mustapha and according to custome will leaue no Competitors in such an Empire For which purpose a Guard of Capagies attend at the Iron gates of the Seralio and the Mutes are placed in a roome accordingly Thus is Mustapha to be dispatched but see how the stronger arme puts out the strong men The same night Achmet had a dreame or fearefull vision which some of the Deruices would needs presume to rumor abroad in this manner that he thought as hee was entring into the seuen Towers the Princely prison of his predecessors his brother kneeled downe before him and cried out Oh when shall we leaue this horrible custome of shedding innocent bloud Looke among all the heathens and see how quickly they loathed and cast away that crying Sin of sacrificing of humane flesh But in stead of replyling he drew his Semiter to strike off his head had not one as hee conceited held it fast that hee could not strike whereupon hee demanded angerly What art thou I am the good Genius of Mustapha and will not
to his Scepter The people he remoued into other parts of his Dominion sending the former inhabitants into Cheylan and Mazandran Not long after the brother of that King of Corassan which had beene Tutor to Abas rebelled against his brother and slew him and all his children except one with whom his Tutors fled into the Mountaines This occasion Abas apprehended for the subduing of that Countrey in the Infants right which notwithstanding the treasons of Ferrat now weary of his former loyalty and conspiring with the Turke and Tartar to betray his Master to them hee effected These things with larger circumstances Abas himselfe related to Sir Anthonie and Sir Robert As for his gouernment the same is there also described but I haue beene too long in the former Hee hath Posts once a weeke from all parts The Visire sitteth in counsell with the Kings counsell euery morning and the King himselfe euery Wednesday The poorest may offer him any supplication which he readeth registreth ordereth One example of Iustice is admirable which he sentenced on the Gouernour of Casbin conuict of many extortions briberies and other crimes That all his goods and lands should be sold for satisfaction to those whom hee had spoyled and if any thing wanted since the King by giuing him that authoritie was partly the cause of those excesses hee condemned himselfe to pay the residue out of his treasurie If any thing aduanced it should bee giuen to his children with a grieuous Edict that no succour should be ministred to himselfe Neither should hee at once end his punishment by death but during his life weare a Yoke like a Hogs-yoke and haue his eares and nose cut off nor might any relieue him but hee should get his liuing with his owne hands that hee might feele in himselfe the miserie of pouertie This made the Turks Embassador there present sweare that such fortune such vertue must needs be his Masters ruine His bountie to our Author his magnificence otherwise let the Reader there learne as likewise his priuate disports and exercises At his entrance into Hisphaan the wayes were couered two English miles with Veluet Satin and Cloth of Gold where his horse should passe He feasted Sir Anthony before his employment in that honorable Embassage to the Princes Christian after the maner of the ancient feasting vsed by the Persians thirty dayes together in a Garden of two miles compasse vnder Tents pitched by small rils of water where euery man that would come was placed according to his degree vnder one or other Tent prouided abundantly with meate fruit and wine drinking as they would without compulsion The ioy of which feast was augmented by the Tartars of Buckhawrd yeelding themselues to his subiection and by the great Mogors great offer with his eldest sonnes daughter to the young sonne of King Abas in marriage But I referre the more desirous to Sir Anthonies owne booke hauing thence gathered this because it differeth so much in some things from others then whom he had farre better meanes of intelligence CHAP. IX Of the Sophian Sect or Persian Religion as it is at this present §. I. The differences betwixt the Turke and Persian with the zeale of both parts IT hath beene already shewed how the Saracens had one Calyfa or Caliph whom they esteemed the Head of their Religion and Empire in right vnto both succeeding their grand Seducer Mahomet and how the foure Captaines or Doctors each ayming vnder colour of Religion to further his ambitious Proiects made way to difference of Sects in the beginning and in succeeding Ages the Sword decided who was rghtfull successor the posterity of each challenging to himselfe that right according as they were able in the Fielde to maintaine it These Persians affected Hali as truest interpreter of their Law and Lord of the State to whom Mahomet gaue his daughter in his life time and his Alcoran at his death being his kinsman also by birth and although by the violence of the contradicting Caliphes they did not alway make hereof open profession yet euer and anone as occasion was offered this fire brake out yet neuer into so great a flame as after the yeere 1369. by Sophi Guine Aidar Ismael and their successors vnto this day their Sect being that onely of the seuenty two Saracenicall so many some account which shall in the Persian estimation haue admission into Paradise all the rest and why not this also leading to hell From that diuision betwixt the Persians and Arabians about the successor of Mahomet it is Barrius his Relation in which the Persians call themselues Sia which signifieth the vnion of one body but the Arabians call them Raffadin that is vnreasonable and themselues Cunin proceeded other Sects amongst the Mahumetans and amongst the Persians two called Camarata and Mutazeli which follow little the saying of the Prophets but would haue all proued to them by naturall reason not allowing Moses or Mahomet any further There is one Sect amongst them called Malaheda which subiecteth all things to Chance and to the Stars not to Diuine Prouidence There are other called Emozaidi which reiect many things in the Alcoran and follow the doctrine of Zaidi the Nephew of Hocem second sonne of Ali these inhabite on the confines of Prester Iohn and in Melinde But to come to the common Persians and to obserue out of Barrius the diuersity of opinion betwixt them and the Arabians their Doctors reduce these differences into seuenteene conclusions The Persians say That GOD is the Author and worker of euery good and that euill commeth from the Deuill The Arabians say That would bring in two Gods one of good the other of euill the Persians say that God is eternall and that the law and creation of men had a beginning the Arabians answere That all the words of the law are prayses of the works of God and therefore eternall like himselfe the Persians say That the soules of the blessed in the other world cannot see the essence of God because he is a Spirit of Diuinity onely they shall see his greatnesse mercy pitty all other good things which he works in the creatures the Arabians answere That they shall see him with their eyes euen as hee is the Persians say That when Mahomet receiued the Law his soule was carried by the Angel Gabriel into the presence of God the Arabians affirme it of his body also the Persians say That the children of Ali or Alle and Fatema and their twelue Nephewes haue preheminence aboue all Prophets the Arabians grant it aboue all other men but not aboue the Prophets the Persians say that it is sufficient to pray thrice a day vnto God in the morning when the Sunne riseth which is called Sob the second Dor at noone the third Magareb before Sunne-set because these three containe all the parts of the day the Arabians require twice besides according to their law called Hacer and Assa The rest of
dayes there to abide without any sustenance but when this time was expired and some wondered one more nose-wise then the rest smelled the sent of flesh the Sultan hearing it committed him and his disciple to the Cadilasher who by torments caused them to confesse the coozenage for thorow a hole which was made in the wall by a caue he had broth conueyed to him and therefore they were both put to death In the yeere 1478. Chozamirech an Armenian being in his shop in Tauris an Azi or Saint of theirs came to him and willed him to deny his Christian faith he answered him courteously and prayed him not to trouble him but when he persisted hee offered him money the Saint would not haue the money but importuned his first sute Chozomirech sayd hee would not deny his Christian faith whereupon the other plucked a sword out of a mans scabard which stood by and with a wound which hee gaue the Armenian in the head killed him and ranne away But the Armenians sonne complayning to the Sultan procured his apprehension at Merin two dayes iourney from Tauris and being brought before him he with a knife killed him vvith his owne hands and caused him to be cast on a dung-hill for the dogges to eate saying Is this the way to encrease the faith of Mahomet But when some of the more zealous people went to one Daruiscassun which was in guarding of the sepulchre of Assambei the former Sultan and as it were Prior of the Hospitall and requesting of him obtayned the body to burie it the Sultan hearing it sent for him and sayde to him Darest thou countermand my commands Away and kill him which was suddenly dispatched Hee further to be reuenged of the people committed the Towne to the sack which for the space of three or foure houres was done And then he forbad further spoyle and fined the Towne in a great summe of gold Lastly hee caused the Armenians sonne to come before him and with many kind words comforted him This long history I haue inserted to shew the extremity of blind zeale and religious fury in the seculars and votaries of these Persians if iustice should not withstand their rage Before is mentioned the commemorations of their dead which is thus performed ouer their Sepulchres Thither resort great multitudes of men and women olde and yong which sit on heapes with their Priests and with their candles lighted the Priests eyther reade or pray in their language and after cause to bee brought somewhat to eate in the place the place containeth betweene foure and fiue miles the pathes which leade thither are full of poore people which beg almes some of whom offer to say some prayer for their benefactors The sepulchres haue stones vpon them engrauen with the names of the buried parties and some haue a Chappell of stone thereon At Merdin he saw a naked man which came and sate by him and pulling forth a booke read thereon and after drew neere and asked him whence he was hee answered a strangerâ— I also am a stranger saith he of this world and so are we all and therefore I haue left it with purpose to goe thus vnto mine end with many words besides touching meekenesse and the deniall of the world He said I haue seene a great part thereof and finde nothing therein that contents me and therefore haue determined to abandon it altogether To this Merdina man cannot passe but by a way made of stone continuing a mile at the head therof is a gate and way to the Towne and within the Towne is another hill with a like way of fiue hundred pases in height There is an Hospitall for entertainment of all strangers made by Ziangirboi the brother of Vsuncassan and if they be of better sort they are entertained with carpets spread for them worth an hundred ducats a peece and victuals for all commers We might heere take further view of their stately Temples their great and populous Cities and other things worthy obseruation if that our Turkish History had not related the like also among them especially touching the persons and places religious For the rest I referre the Reader to other Authors The present King Abas more as it seemeth in policie to secure himselfe of factions and against the Turke then conscience is a great persecutor of that sect of Mahomet which followeth the interpretation of Vssen and Omar This hee labours to extirpate and make odious hauing in vse once a yeere with great solemnitie to burne publikely as maine heretikes the images of Vssen and Omar Then doth he cause his great men publikely in scorne of their institution to goe with a flagon of wine carried by a footman and at euery village or where they see any assembly of people to drinke which himselfe also vseth not for loue of the wine but to scandalize the contrarie religion Yet are there of the greatest exceeding precise Turkes if they durst shew it In a Letter of Iohn Ward written in Tauris May 14. 1605. this King is blamed for making slaues of poore Armenians and forcing many to Mahumetisme pulling downe Churches and vsing more rigour then the Turke §. IIII. Of Natures wonders and the Iesuits lyes of Persia THe wonders of Nature in these parts are neere Bachu a fountaine of oyle continually running and fetched into the farthest parts of Persia and another neere Shamakie of Tarre whereof we had good vse and proofe in our ship Hereabouts you shall haue in the fields neere to any Village in the night two or three hundred Foxes howling Kine they haue like ours and another sort great boned and leane as hard sauoured as those which Pharaoh dreamed of In Persia groweth great abundance of Bombasin cotton this groweth on a certaine tree or brier not past the height of a mans waste with a slender stalk like to a brier or carnation Iuly-flower with very many branches bearing on euery branch a fruit or cod round which when it commeth to the bignesse of a Wall-nut openeth and sheweth forth the cotton which groweth still like a fleece of wooll to the bignesse of a mans fist and then being loose is gathered the seeds are flat and blacke as big as pease which they sow in their fields and plowed ground in great abundance I had thought I had ended this Chapter and our Persian Expedition but our good friends the Iesuites would needs entertaine your wearie eyes with reading an exploit of theirs related by one sometimes their fellow Catholike now I hope our fellow Christian For the credit of this honest and loyall of their honest returne not with a non est and loyall with a â—â—e all societie was a French pamphlet by them dispersed a little before the Powder-treason amongst their Catholike friends in England reporting the miraculous conuersion of the King of Persia by one Campian a Iesuite an English-man that had expelled a Deuill out of a possessed partie and commanded the Deuill
against him and by the way enquired of his Astrologers and Diuiners touching his successe They taking a greene reed cleft it a sunder placing the parts thereof a good distance one from another and writ vpon the one the name of Vncam and Cingis on the other telling the King that whiles they were reading their coniuring charmes these reeds would fight together and the victory should remaine with him whose reede got the better which acordingly came to passe in the sight of the Armie Cingis his reed ouercomming the other as after Cingis himselfe did Vncam whom he slew in the field and possessed his daughter and state wherin he continued sixe yeeres conquering Cities and Kingdomes and at last was wounded at a Castle called Thaigin in the knee whereof he dyed and was buryed in Mount Altay The next Emperour after his account was Cin Can the third Baythin Can the fourth Allau the brother of Mangu Esu Can the fifth Mongu Can the sixth the seauenth Cublai Can who not only inherited what the former had conquered but in the sixtieth yeere of his raigne subdued in a manner the rest of those parts of the World The word Can signifieth Emperour Wheresoeuer these Emperours dye they are buryed in Altay aforesayd they which carry him killing all they meete within the way bidding them goe to the other world to serue their Emperor For this end they also slay the best horses to serue their dead Lord in another world When Mangu Can was buried there were more then ten thousand men slaine by the Souldiers which conueyed him In this Historie of M. Paul obserue that this Catalogue of Emperours is vnsound for W. de Rubruquis in Bathyes time was at the Court of Mangu Can to whom Bathy was subiect Occoday is left out and Esu put in The cause of this errour seemeth to bee the giuing of this name Can to the chiefe Dukes as Bathy c. and the want of exact written Chronicles in those times amongst them §. II. The great Exploits of CINGIS or CANGIVS the first Tartarian Emperor FOr further light into this Historie I thinke it not amisse to set downe what Haithon or Anthony the Armenian hath written of the Tartarian beginnings This our Author was Royally descended in Armenia where hee liued about three hundred yeeres since and at the request of Pope Clement the fift writ the History of the Tartars from Cingis or Cangius till Mango Can taken out of the Tartarian Histories the rest he partly saw with his eyes and partly learned of his Vnckle an eye-witnesse of the same who had attended on Haithon the Armenian King in the great Cans Court The Countrey where the Tartars first dwelt saith Haithon is beyond the Mount Belgian where they liued like beasts hauing neither letters nor Faith nor Habitation nor Souldiâ—rie nor reputation among their Neighbour-Nations There were of them diuers Nations called by one common name Mogli which were diuided into seuen principall Tribes whose names were Tartar Tangut Cunat Talair Sonieh Monghi Tebeth These all being subiects to their Neighbours a poore old man being a Smith who as they beleeue was ingendred of the Sun beames saw in his sleepe an armed man on a white horse which said vnto him O Cangius The will of the Immortall GOD is that thou bee the Gouernour of the Tartarians and Ruler of the seuen Nations to free them from their bondage and tribute This his vision when he reported to others they would not beleeue him vntill that the night following the chiefe men amongst themselues saw the same man with command from the immortall GOD to yeeld obedience vnto Cangius This they performed with all reuerence and spred in the midst of them a black felt with a seat thereon on which the seuen Princes or chiefe men placed Cangius calling him Can that is Emperor and kneeled before him This happily was then the most sumptuous Throne their State could afford but continued in the Royall inuestiture of their succeeding Soueraignes their exceeding Riches and Conquests notwithstanding at two of which solemnities saith our Author I my selfe haue beene present Cangius thus inthronized on his felt commanded them many things first to beleeue the immortall GOD and from thence forwards the Tartars began to call vpon the name of the immortall GOD seeking for his ayde in all their enterprises secondly hee commanded to make a generall view of all such as were able to beare armes appointing Captaines ouer tens ouer thousands and ouer ten thousands which made a full Regiment Hee commanded also those seuen principall heads of their Tribe to bereaue themselues of their dignities and for further triall of their obedience each of them to bring thither his eldest sonne and to cut off his head each with his owne hand which they refused not to doe in reuerence to that diuine ordinance whereby hee was made their Soueraigne Cangius hauing thus made tryall of their fidelitie subdued many Nations and one day hauing his horse slaine in battell vnder him was forsaken of his Tartars dispayring his recouerie after they saw him fall and might easily haue beene slaine had not his enemies through ignorance neglected him to pursue the rest which Cangius perceiuing conueyed himselfe into a thicket of shrubs and when his enemies returned to despoile the dead an Owle came and sate on the shrub vnder which Cangius was hidden which caused them not to suspect any to lurke there and so they departed He the next night fled to his people who seeing him and hearing the order of his escape gaue thanks to the immortall GOD who by meanes of that Bird had preserued him They also had after this that Fowle in such reuerence that it is accounted a happy thing to weare one of her feathers on their heads Cangius afterwards assaulting his enemies brought vnder both them and all the Countries on that side of Belgian The exact time of these things Haithon could not learne notwithstanding his much enquiry which he imputeth to their want of letters at that time These Countries thus conquered the armed man appeared to him the second time and commanded him in the name of the immortall GOD to passe the Mountayne Belgian and goe towards the West where he should conquer Kingdomes Signories and Lands And that thou mayest be assured that this is the will of GOD arise and goe with thy people towards the Mountayne to that part which ioyneth on the Sea There thou shalt dismount and turne thee toward the East and kneeling downe nine times shalt worship the immortall GOD and he which is Almightie shall shew thee the way by which thou mayest commodiously passe Cangius presently commands his people with their wiues and families to accompanie him in this enterprise and when they were come to the Sea forgat not with his followers to performe those nine worships and staying there that night in his prayers the next day hee saw that the Sea had gone nine foot backe from
to Cialis gouerned by the King of Cascars base sonne with whom at first he had some difference about Religion which with a gift was pacified And in a disputation with the Mahumetan Doctors before him the Viceroy tooke part with Goes affirming that the Christians were the true Misermans and that their Ancesters professed that law a thing worthy by the way to bee obserued Here hee met with some Merchants returning from Cathay which could tell him of Ricci and the other Iesuites at Paquin as before you heard out of Pantogia And here first did he learne that China was Cathay At his departing from Cialis the Viceroy gaue him his letters of passe and inscribed him a Christian according to his desire whereat a Mahumetan Priest much wondered affirming that theirs with the Region shifted also their Religion In twenty dayes they came to Pucian thence to Turphan a fortified Citie thence to Aramuth and so to Camul the last City of this Kingdome of Cialis In nine dayes they passed from Camul to the Northerne walles of China where they stayed twenty fiue dayes expecting the Viceroyes answere for their admission at a place called Chiaicuon And then being entred the walles they came in one dayes iourney to the Citie Socieù All the space betweene Cialis and the borders of China is subiect to the out-rodes of the Tartars the cause that Merchants trauell in great feare in the day time looking not whether the coast be cleare and trauelling the night with great silence and secresie They found many Saracens slaine in the way The countrey people they seldome kill but rob of their cattell as for corne and rice they hold it food for beasts and not for men feeding on flesh and liuing aboue an hundred yeeres The Saracens in these parts are effeminate and might easily bee subdued by the Chinois if they would On the West parts of China is that Wall before mentioned to exclude the Tartars and two fortified Cities with strong Garrisons hauing their proper Viceroy and other Magistrates Canceu the head City of the Prouince Scensi and Soceù which is diuided into two parts one of which is inhabited by Saracens which trade here for Merchandize the other by Chinois whom the Saracens heere call Cathayans Euery night the Saracens are enclosed in their owne Citie in other things as the Chinois subiect to the same Lawes and Magistrates Neyther may any forreyner returne into his countrey which hath stayed there nine yeeres Euerie sixth yeere seuenty two Legates come after an olde custome to pay a kind of tribute to the King this but a shew the intent being to inrich themselues as is sayd with Marchandize being maintained in respect of that pretence at the Kings Charge Into Soceù Goes came at the end of the yeere 1605. and here met with other Saracens returning from Paquin which told him of the Iesuites there residing adding that the King did not tell but powred out of a measure a dayly allowance of money to them which I mention to shew that a man must bee sparing of credite to Saracen Trauellers and Merchants But Goes could not a long time certifie these his fellowes of his arriuall being ignorant of their China names and it was foure monethes iourney to Paquin from Soceu the force of Winter is there very great yet did they send in that vnseasonable season one of their Conuerts a Chinois called Ioannes Ferdinandus who after a tedious iourney found Goes then lying on his death-bed when hee brought him the letters from the Society Eleuen dayes after he dyed not without suspition of poyson giuen him by the Saracens who had also before deuised by the way many shifts to make themselues Masters of his goods they haue likewise a custome that if any dye by the way his goods are shared amongst the rest Here did the Saracens offer to seize all into their hands but Ferdinandus professed himselfe his Nephew borne of a China Mother and with much a doe eating Swines flesh together with the Armenian in token they were not Saracens obtayned that little which was left of Goes his substance scarcely enough to pay charges yet this and all the other tedious circumstances of this long Narration I haue thus largely related for the instruction of Geographers and Merchants of these parts desirous to know or trade those Countryes the knowledge whereof I thinke no Europaean else hath learned by experience in some hundreths of yeeres last past His Companion the Armenian was sent from Paquin to Macao and thence to India and being taken by Hollanders in the way at Sincapura was redeemed by the Portugals and returned to Ciaul where he yet liues as Trigautius our Authour affirmeth But it is high time for vs to take view of our Tartarian Religion CHAP. XIII Of the Religion of the Tartars and Cathayans IOANNES DE PLANO CARPINI thus writeth of their Religion They beleeue that there is one GOD the maker of all things visible and inuisible the Authour of good things and punishments yet do they not worship him with prayers prayses or any certaine rites They haue also Idols of Felt in the fashion of a man and the same they set on both sides of their Tent-doores and vnder them they put a thing of Felt fashioned like a Dugge These they account the keepers of their Cattell Authors of their Milke and young store Others they make of Silke and doe them much honour Some place them in a faire Chariot couered before the doore of their station and whosoeuer stealeth any thing out of that Chariot is slaine without all pitty Their Captaines haue one alway in the middest of their Tent. To these Idols they offer the first fruits of their Milke and the first morsels of their meate and first draught of their drinke at meales And when they kill a beast they offer the heart to their Idoll leauing it before him till the morning and then they take and eate it They make an Idoll also to their chiefe Emperour and offer thereunto with great solemnitie as well other creatures as horses which none after dare ride on till death They breake not a bone of the beasts which they kill for meate but burne them with fire They bend themselues to this Idoll towards the South as to a God They worship the Sunne Lights and Fire Water also and the Earth offering thereunto the first of their meates and drinkes and in the morning before they eate or drinke They haue no set rites prescribed by Law nor doe they compell any to deny their Religion simply although in some of their customes they are very rigorous Thus they martyred Michael Duke of Russia because he refused to doe reuerence to the Image of Cingis Can which had beene their first Emperour and compelled the younger brother of Andrew Duke of Saruogle in Russia to marrie his said brothers wife according to their custome after that they had slaine her former Husband They haue certaine traditions
as Pequin now and Nanquin are the situation South-east from Cinczianfu and fiue and twentie miles from the Sea the high houses and shops vnderneath the exceeding trade reuenue pastimes by water multitudes fairenesse and length of the streets all so conspiring to proue this Han or Hamceu to bee that Quinsay of Paulus True it is that Quinsay was then greater being as Venetus sayth an hundred miles about But the euerting of that Farfur and his Familie then raigning the diuerting of the Court to Cambalu by the Tartars and after to Nanquin by Humvn and neuer returning hither might lessen the same And might not warres in that long siege by the Tartars in the recouerie thereof by the Chinois easily circumcise her superfluitie Besides who knoweth whether all this huge Lake might be contained in that account of Paulus still compassed about with buildings Or before those warres the Lake it selfe might as Suceu now is be builded on which Time and Warre hath consumed nor since the remoue of the Court were so necessarie Mandeuile mentions warres at Quinsay in his time Nicolo di Conti which was here about the yeere 1440. saith Quinsay was in his time new built of thirtie miles compasse Or if any like better that Suceu it selfe to which also many of these arguments agree should be this Quinsay I contradict not That which somtimes I haue thought that Quinsay after so long a sicknesse and consumption of warres died bequeathing her Land-greatnesse to Nanquin her Sea-treasures to Suceu both arising out of the ashes of that Quinsay-Phenix I finde cannot I meane for Nanquin agree with the distance betwixt Suceu and Nanquin aboue foure dayes iourney Of this Quinsay let the Reader take a large and leasurely view in Marcus Paulus which but for tediousnesse I could hither haue transcribed Whether Hanceu or Suceu bee it or whether both these Paradises doe now succeed that Citie of heauen or wheresoeuer else it be it was which these are the wonder of the world reported saith Paulus to haue 12000. bridges 1600000. housholds in which was a rich Mart of all commodities of the world there was spent euery day 9589. pounds of Pepper it had ten principall Market-places square each square halfe a mile the chiefe streets leading thereto being fortie paces wide and running strait from one end of the Citie to the other these Market-places foure miles asunder But I forbeare the rest this Citie had twelue principall Companies or Arts each of which had 12000. shops the adioyning Countrey reckoned the ninth part of Mangi paide sixe millions and 400000. Duckats to the Great Chan yeerely for custome of Salt made of the Sea-water by the heate of the Sunne in large plaines besides sixteene millions and 800000. Duckats otherwise But let vs looke on some of the meaner Cities one of those called Hien is Scianhai in the Prouince of Nanquin in 29. degrees ouer-against Cerra and within foure and twentie houres sayle of Iapon and therefore is defended with a Garrison and a Nauie it hath about 40000. housholds and the iurisdiction adioyning seemes a continued Citie with Gardena intermixed payes to the King 300000. Duckats there is great store of Rice and Cotton and in this Citie and the Suburban liberties are 200000. Weauers thereof the aire wholsome and they liue ordinarily to a great age some to fourescore and fourescore and ten and many to a hundred yeeres The keyes of Cities are euery night brought to the Gouernours and thousands appointed to watch to preuent theeues themselues being the worst they ring bells at certaine spaces to each other These Cities of China ordinarily want that elegance and magnificence which stately Temples and sumptuous building doe affoord vnto our Cities of Europe Their houses are lowe without the ornament of Porches Galleries Windowes and prospect into the streets Besides these habitations they haue many which dwell not on land but in their ships For their shipping is of two sorts one for sayle another for habitation also and these meanes or fairer according to the wealth of the owners In the one side they carrie their families in the other side their passengers Many Barques are as victualling houses by the way and likewise as shops of merchandize Many of the poorer water-dwellers get their liuing by labour on land their wiues ferry ouer passengers and vse meanes to get fish They bring vp thousands of Duckes hatched with artificiall heate in dung which hauing fed with a little Rice in the morning they put out at a doore into the water which presently swim on land and eate the weedes which growe among the Rice these weeders thereby procuring some wages of the husband-men to their owners and at night are called home with a Tabor each resorting to their owne Barque They haue certaine Sea-crowes or Cormorants wherewith they fish tying their gorges that they cannot swallow the fishes which they take till their Masters turne being serued they are suffered to hunt for themselues which one in this Citie of London hath lately imitated and effected In the winter they haue store of Ice and Snow whereby the Riuers are frozen euen about Nanquin They haue abundance of all things necessarie to the life of man fruits flesh and fish with prices correspondent They haue two and somewhere three haruests in the yeere Few Mountaines but Plaines of an hundred leagues Wine they make of Rice They eate thrice a day but sparingly There drinke be it water or wine they drinke hot and eate with two stickes of Iuorie Ebonie or like matter nor touching their meate with their hands and therefore little napery serueth them Their warme drinkes and abstinence from fruits are great preseruatiues of their health which for the most part they enioy and none of them haue the stone which some say is with vs caused by cold drinkes but let vs take more full view of their persons and conditions §. IIII. Of their Persons Attire and many strange Rites SOme of the Chinois haue faces almost square many in the Prouinces of Canton and Quamsi haue two nayles on their little toes a thing common to all the Cauchin Chinois Their women are all of lowe stature and account small feet their greatest elegance and therefore binde and swaddle them so from their infancy all their liues that they seeme in going stump-footed which seemes to be by deuice of some to keepe them within doores Neither men nor women euer cut off their haire which is generally blacke and other colour a deformitie they let it growe on their crownes only till fifteene yeeres of age after that all their heads ouer loose on their shoulders till twentie yeeres when they put on their virilis pileus the cap of manhood and then gather it vp the men into caules or hats hollow at the top for the haire to passe thorow which the women vse not but trimme vp their haire on knots with gold siluer stones and flowers eare-rings also at their
foure hundred men one of that company onely escaping These exploits made Carualius his Name terrible to the Bengalans insomuch that one of the Arracans Commander of fiftie Arracan Ships dreaming in the night that hee was assaulted by Carualius terrified his fellowes and made them flie into the Riuer which when the King heard cost him his head But this Day had an end and this Sun was set in a Cloud For whiles the King of Arracan hauing lately atchieued so great matters in Pegu and added Sundiua and the Kingdome of Baccala intended to annexe Chandecan to the rest of his Conquests the King of Chandecan thought to purchase his peace with Carualius his head which hee treacherously accomplished sending for Him that they might ioyne together against Arracan and watching his oportunitie tooke Him in his Palace with others of his companie after that inuading and spoyling his ship Britto remayned in his Fort at Sirian against whom in the yeere 1604. the King of Arracan sent a fleete of fiue hundred Frigats and fortie Caturs vnder the conduct of his eldest sonne with fifteene thousand men The Portugals had eight ships well prouided and one hundred and eightie Souldiers in the Fort. Neere to Negrais the Armadas met the Portugall obtayning the victorie slaying and drowning almost one thousand of the enemies This at Sea and waiting a better oportunitie in the Riuer they left not one Vessell to carrie newes thereof to Arracan The Prince with his Souldiers sought to returne by land but Penurie pursued him separated his companie and betrayed Him to two hundred and fiftie Portugals and Peguans which to these straights had added the locall straights of a certaine passage where the Prince with some of the chiefe yeelded redeemed at a great summe as before is mentioned and couenants of Peace on both sides ratified by Oath One of the Articles was the deliuerie of Sundiua for the performance of which Britto sent his sonne Marke with two Captaines to take possession which all were treacherously dispossessed of their liues and three thousand Portugals captiued Hee prepares for a new siege but in the midst of these designes that part of his Palace where the white Elephant stood and his chiefe Oratorie were fired with lightning which some Talipois interpreting of Diuine vengeance for breach of Oath went to the King and told him these things presaged further disasters It so presaged indeed to Them who for this presage were presently to the number of thirtie of the chiefe of them slaine Twelue hundred ships so wee call them all by a generall name though not comparable for the most part to our Europaean the King of Arracan set forth in this new expedition of which seuentie fiue were of greater burthen each hauing twelue Peeces of Ordnance and well furnished the rest Fusts or Frigats In this Fleete were thirtie thousand Souldiers and Sea-men Pataneans Persians and Malabars of them eight thousand with Hand-gunnes and three thousand fiue hundred greater Peeces of diuers sorts The King himselfe his sonne and best Souldiers were therein accompanied with the King of Chocor Britto sent forth that Nauie which hee had but twelue ships in all vnder the command of Paulus Regius a famous Sea-Captaine which meeting them at the Cape of Negrais the Admirall of Arracan Marucha was with his Fust taken and slaine and the Night parted the Fight or rather renewed the Fight many of the Arracan ships mistaking and warring vpon their fellowes to the losse of diuers ships and in the whole fight of almost two thousand men Foure dayes after the fourth of Aprill they encountred the second time and the Portugall Admirall runne her selfe vpon pyles vnder the water whence shee could not bee freed and when another Portugall ship came to relieue them Rhogius would not bee perswaded to stirre till fire entring the Gunners roome blew vp him and his companie and the other Captaine which moued him to remoue The Portugall ships betooke them to their Fort whither the King of Tangu had sent his sonne with sixe hundred Horse eighteene Elephants and sixteene thousand Men to besiege it But both these and the Arracan forces doing their vtmost in May following were forced to depart without effect leauing the Towne and Fort in a deformed case and most of the people wounded Yet greater was Arracans losse onely twelue greater and two hundred and fiftie lesser of those twelue hundred ships remayning the rest drowned forsaken or burnt partly by the Portugals partly by themselues wanting men to guide them Most of the Ordnance they buried in the Sands Ten thousand men they lost in the siege The Portugals lost of their Nation besides helpes eightie sixe ten Captaines and the Admirall The next yeere their Fort was fired and their dwelling Houses Temple Household and Prouision Britto himselfe escaped hardly with his wife His courage yet remayned and resolued to build it in an higher and stronger place Easily had Arracan with this aduantage effected his designes had not the Portugals elsewhere molested him and taken Dianga And thus farre haue wee followed the Iesuite Iarric in these Arracan affaires If with iarring from truth in any place I haue named my Author nor can accuse or excuse him Further he cannot guide vs But where his Intelligence failes Floris helpes The last Act of this Tragedie was reserued to the King of Aua who tooke Sirian as before Master Floris hath told vs slue all the Portugals and was reported to spit this Philip de Britto He settled the affaires of Pegu and sought what hee could to reduce them from their dispersions to their natiue Habitations But you are wearie of warre and bloud in which you see all these Kings embrued it is time to entertaine you elsewhere and though as tragically yet with differing Obiects pleasing at the least with varietie CHAP. VII Of the Great Mogor or Mogoll §. I. Of the Mogors Countries and MELABDIM ECHEBAR THe Great Mogor according to Boterus hath vnder his subiection seuen and fortie Kingdomes which lie betweene Indus and Ganges on the East and West and betwixt Imaus and the Ocean contayning all that which the Ancients called India intra Gangem or India Citenor Hee is called of the people the Great Mogor for the same cause that the Ottoman-Turkes are called Great The style of him that was King when the Iesuites imparted to vs these Relations was Mahumeth Zelabdim Echebar King Mogor or Mogoll for so they call him in the Countrey and not Mogor as the Iesuites This Mogoll seemes to argue their Tartarian Originall from the Moai Tartars of which see our Tartarian Relations The true Mogors or Mogols liue on the hither side of Indus in the Kingdome of Quabul or Cabul which is vnder the brother of Echebar against whom Anno 1582. hee led a strong Armie in which the Iesuites say were fiue thousand Elephants armed These weare plates of Iron on their foreheads carrie foure Archers or else
and returned to Lahor losing many Elephants and Horses in the way both by Famine then oppressing the Countrey and the difficultie of the Passages the Elephants sometimes in the ascent of Hils helping themselues with their Trunkes leaning and staying themselues being burthened thereon as on a staffe The Prince which is now King was assaulted by a fierce Lionesse as he rode on a Female Elephant which yet hee wounded first with a Dart then with a Shot and lastly smote her with the hand-Gun it selfe wherewith being ouerthrowne a Souldier came in and slew her but with losse of his owne life The next yeere 1598. Echebar went to Agra chiefe Citie of a Kingdome which hee had also conquered a hundred leagues from Lahor towards the South passing that way to Decan Hee had eight hundred Elephants and seuen thousand Camels to carrie his Tents and Prouisions yea his Secretarie had at the same time seuen hundred Camels and seuentie Elephants for his owne furniture and therefore it is lesse maruaile of the Kings The King conducted in this Expedition aboue a thousand Elephants instructed to fight and a hundred thousand Soldiers Hee passed the Mountaines of Gate by almost impassable Passages spending sometimes a whole day in passing the space of a Musket-shot One of his Captaines went before with fiftie thousand who tooke one of the Decans strongest Holds and made easie way to the Conquest of the rest of Melics Dominions which hee left in the Gouernment of his sonne Brampore fell into his hands being destitute of defence This was Anno 1600. Miram the King thereof had forsaken it and betaken himselfe to Syra a strong Hold both by Nature and Art It was seated on the top of a Hill which reacheth fiue leagues enuironed with a triple Wall so built that one might bee defended from the next Within was a Well of running Water and all necessarie Prouisions for threescore thousand persons for many yeeres It had three thousand great Peeces of Ordnance In this Castle according to the Countrey custome the next of the Bloud Royall were kept with their Families nor might depart except the Throne emptie the next Heire was hence deliuered much after that which is written of Amara in the Abassens Countrey and it seemes borrowed from thence so many slaues of those parts being here entertained and some in the highest Employments At this time besides King Miram there were seuen of these Princes The Gouernour was an Abassine with seuen other Vnder-Commanders all renegado Mahumetanes The Mogoll layde siege thereto with almost two hundred thousand men but more preuailed as before in Melics Countrey with Bribes and Promises then Force Thus inuiting Miram to a Conference swearing By the Kings head accounted an inuiolable Oath as is that By their Fathers head that hee should bee permitted safe returne Some of his Councellours perswaded him to goe hee went with a kinde of Stole on his necke hanging to his knees in token of subiection And comming before the Mogoll bowed himselfe but was cast to the ground by some of his Captaines and forceably detained The Abassine Gouernour sent his sonne to demand performance of Achebar his promise who being questioned of his Father the Abassen and the hopes to obtaine the Castle freely answered for his Fathers fidelitie and that if Miram were not restored they should not want a Successour with which libertie he prouoked the Mogol to cause him to be slaine which his Father hearing strangled himselfe And the wals were soone after battered at least entred and a breach made through the open gates by golden shot none of these seuen for feare of treason daring to take the Royall Soueraigntie These with the King were dispersed into diuers parts of his Kingdome and maintenance allowed them Thus remained Echebar Lord of these parts and longed to adde the rest of India whatsoeuer is betwixt Indus and Ganges euen to the Cape Comori to his Dominion He writ a Letter about this time to the Vice-Roy of Goa beginning thus I mention it to shew you his Titles which he arrogated The Great and Mightie Lord of the Law of MAHOMET The Renowmed and Great King Vanquisher of the Kings his Enemies Obserued and Honoured of Great Men Exalted aboue other Kings in ample Honour and Dignitie The onely Man for Gouernment amongst all the Princes of the World His Ambassage to ARIAS DE SALDAGNA c. The ninth day of Frauard the first moneth of the yeere beginning at the Aequinoctiall Vernall in the fortie sixe yeere viz. of His Reigne At this time dyed the Gouernour or Vice-Roy of Lahor which left to the King who is Heire Generall and Successour of euery mans wealth three millions of Gold coyned besides other Gold Siluer Iewels Horses Elephants furniture and goods almost inualuable This also for a taste of the meanes accrewing to this Kings Treasure Echebar returning to Agra gaue libertie to the Iesuites to conuert as many as would to Christianitie The King of Candacar or Candahar not able to defend himselfe against Abduxa King of the Vsbechs surrendred himselfe and his Kingdome to Echebar The particulars of his other Conquests I cannot relate His last victory I know not whether to impute to his happinesse or not It was against his Sonne in which the griefe to haue such an enemy could not but be more then the glory of the exploit This happened Anno 1602. Echebar being forced to giue ouer his Decan Conquest by his Sonnes vntimely challenge of the Scepter who weary of his Fathers long life stiled himselfe King and his Father the Great King Armies were gathered on both sides on both sides were sent Letters and Messengers The Mother of Echebar being nintie yeeres old laboured a peace but not preuailing fell sicke which caused him to returne from this expedition against his Sonne But her body not able to ouercome the disease yeelded to death Her Sonne shaued his head beard and eye-browes and mourned after the Country fashion in blue his Nobles doing the like three dayes Her huge Treasure which shee had bequeathed to her children and Nephewes the King seized on The Prince was perswaded to come to his Father without an Army which he did and after some rebuke was reconciled and remained content with the Kingdome of Cambaia or Guzzerat He seemed much addicted to the Iesuites and obtained his Fathers Licence for a Temple at Agra to the building whereof hee gaue a thousand pieces of Gold On the twentie seuen of October Anno 1605. Echebar dyed in the Climactericall yeere 63. of his age and fiftie of his reigne In his sicknesse Selim the Prince whom some suspected of dealing as the Turkish Selim had done with his Father Baiazet came not into the Presence and much consultation was amongst the Great ones to conferre the Succession vpon Cussero his sonne But the issue was that vpon his Oath to maintaine the Law of Mahomet and of full pardon to his Sonne
them after that by helpe of Fresh-men sent in the Pinace they were got cleere of them certaine it is that all three driuing away vpon the ebbe the English had entered before and killed all they found fell on fire and running on the Sands there offered vp themselues at once to all the Elements the Sayles still standing embracing the Ayre the Keele kissing her Mother Earth till their more churlish brethren the Fire and Water put them out of possession and shared all betwixt them One of the Gallies lost her Nose with a shot and was content after that with their Other to looke on The Gallions rode beyond the Sands The Frigates could not but participate in their fellowes disaduentures many of them saith Leman were sunke and torne in pieces Masham another of the Hopes Company numbreth fiue and twentie thus perishing The Hope lost three men and had fourteene wounded the Hector lost two One shot of stone which the Hope receiued was measured seuen and twentie Inches about but the hurt was by fire in her tops by one of her owne men there slain whiles he sought to fire the Enemy The Portugals losse is vncertaine three hundred and fiftie men were said to be carried to Daman to be buried besides all that the Sea and Fire had shared betwixt them which were thought to make vp fiue hundred some report of eight hundred and yet themselues gaue out not aboue fortie or fiftie whereas the tide cast vp at one place eighteene drowned carkasses After this they tried experiments First by poyson and this was the Iesuites Iesuitisme I cannot call it Christianitie who sent to the Muccadan of Swally to entice him to poyson the Water of the Well whence the English fetched for their vse but the Ethnike had more honestie and put in quicke Tortoises that it might appeare by their death if any venemous hand had beene there But when Virtus virus wanted vires Dolus is added and the Vice-Roy hauing two ships sent him for supply two Iunkes eight or ten Boates these or the most of them were employed with great secrecie and subtiltie to fire our ships by night two full of fiery entrailes on the ninth of February the next night two others chained together and towed with Frigates and after that in the same night foure other chained together one of which being fired with an English shot burnt her selfe and her fellowes they put fire to all the rest which deuoured them all without harme to the English They tooke some of these Fire-workers one of which being examined confessed after M. Prings Relation thus The Admirall called Todos los Santos a ship of eight hundred tuns had sixe hundred men eight and twentie Peeces most brasse The Saint Benito Vice-Admirall of seuen hundred Tuns three hundred and threescore men twentie Peeces Saint Lorenzo a Ship of sixe hundred Tuns three hundred men twentie Peeces The Saint Christopher likewise The Saint Ieronimo of fiue hundred Tuns three hundred men and twentie three Peeces Saint Antonio foure hundred two hundred men and fifteene Peeces Saint Pedro two hundred a hundred and twentie men and eight Peeces Saint Paulo as many A Fly-boat of a hundred and fiftie Tuns fourescore men and foure Peeces The two Gallies had fiue and twentie Oares on a side and in both a hundred Souldiers Threescore Frigates with eighteene and twentie Oares on a side in each fifteene Souldiers So great their forces and blessed be God so little their force The Vice-Royes name was Don Ieronimo de Sanecko sometimes Captaine of Mosambike after that of Zeilan eighteene yeeres and now Vice-Roy by the Kings strait command and others importunitie drawne into this action Euery day was hee braued with the English Ordnance but neuer aduentured any other triall by fight the English riding neere his great Fleet and dispatching all their other affaires of Merchandise and mending the Hope which they sent home with this Newes when they departed from thence they seemed to stay for them in the way yet let them passe without any blowes This won them much glory among the countrey people Mocrob Chan giuing stately entertainment to the Generall in his Tents on shoare which one saith were a quarter of a mile about in the midst his owne of Crimson Sattin richly embroidered with Gold and Pearle and couered with Cloth of Gold he had many Elephants he gaue the Generall his Sword made said hee in his owne house the Hilts of massie Gold this is their custome to deseruing Captaines and He gaue him his Girdle Sword and Dagger and Hangers of as faire show but lesse worth Because I haue mentioned the Iesuites Arts in these parts let this also be added that Master Canning chiefe Merchant and Agent for the Company writ to Surat for some others to assist him being in great feare of poysoning by the Iesuites at the Court and before any could bee sent hee was dead May the nine and twentieth 1613. One English-man dying a little before was buried in their Church-yard whom they tooke vp and buried in the high-way but were compelled by the King to lay him in his former place threatning to turne them out of his countrey and their buried bodies out of that Church-yard But this later warres brought them into further miseries being denied their stipend and therefore forsaken of their new Conuerts who bringing them their Beades did vpbraid them the want of their pay one of the best Arguments though no great miracle wherewith they had perswaded them to their Religion A French Iesuit at Amadabar begged reliefe of the English wanting necessary sustenance Before the King allowed the Superior seuen Rupias a day and the rest three But now this and their faire Church also is denied them and they say their holies in their chamber Iohn Mildnall an English Papist had learned it is reported the Art of poysoning by which he made away three other English-men in Persia to make himselfe Master of the whole stock but I know not by what meanes himselfe tasted of the same cup and was exceedingly swelled but continued his life many moneths with Antidotes which yet here left him at Agra where hee left the value of twentie thousand Dolars after through the Kings Iustice recouered by the English Many other Sea-fights haue since happened in diuers parts of the Indies betwixt Our men and the Portugals as that by Captaine Ben. Ioseph in which he was slaine and Captaine Pepwel succeeded in the place and quarrell with Manuel de Meneses whose Carrack was consumed with fire by themselues as was thought rather then so great Treasures should be made English spoyles also in the Persian Gulfe by Captaine Shilling slaine therein Captaine Blithe and others which chaced the assayling Portugals Ruy Frere de Andrada their Commander called the Pride of Portugall getting a fall and since that Ormus it selfe taken by the Persians diuers other Portugall prizes and that especially of the
promoted Some denied a multitude of Gods onely allowing that priuiledge to Pyrama Vidhun and Vaitir one of which maketh another keepeth the third destroyeth all things Neere to Madure is an Idoll called Chocanada which by night appeared in a vision to a Priest and bade him goe say to the Naicho of Madure that hee or I must abide in this house whereupon he would not be corriuall with his Idoll but resigned the Palace to him His deuotion is such that euery day while hee sitteth in iudgement a Bramene euer and anon soundeth the name of Aranganassa in his eares and when one is wearie another succeedeth in the same Office neuer ceasing this Idols remembrance although hee there sitteth fiue or sixe houres I thought meete to mention one custome which some report of the Brama or Pope-like Bramene in these parts who by his authority dispenseth with many of their Lawes and dissolueth Marriages giuing libertie at his pleasure to the woman to marrie another which his Dispensation is sealed on her right shoulder with a marke of a hote Iron §. III. Of many other strange Rites And of Saint Thomae CHandagrin is the Royall Seat of the great King of Bisnagar The chiefest Families therein are the Bramenes Raias and Cretius They affirme that their Idoll Perimal did bring foorth the Bramenes out of his head as the Poets tell of Minerua the second out of his brest third out of his belly and all other inferiour Families out of his feet The Bramenes haue some opinions not altogether dissonant from the Scriptures They say That God onely by his thought made a man which they call Adam On the tenth day of Iuly Anno 1600. happened an Eclipse of the Sunne which the Bramenes said was by meanes of the Dragon which they make a Celestiall Signe his byting of the Sunne and Moone whereupon the King and others neither ate nor dranke that day deploring their misery because the Dragon deuoured the Sunne In the Citie Prepeti three miles from Chandagrin is the Feast of Perimal in remembrance of his Marriage at which the Offerings amounted to two hundred thousand Crownes and the Chariot of the Idoll was drawne forth a mile and a halfe in Procession by ten thousand men They haue another Feast of the Kine because they suppose Perimal to bee the Sonne of a Cow and then the wayes and streets are full of that cattle They haue a Feast in honour of the Sunne which lasteth eight dayes solemnized by the Emperour himselfe and he is iudged a Traytor which is not present thereat Then they cast lots the King first and after the rest diuining by Arrowes the next yeeres destinie If an Arrow light on a Tree and being plucked out causeth a red liquor to follow it prognosticateth Warres if white Peace Not farre hence is an Idoll called Tripiti to which are great Pilgrimages and Offerings alwayes they goe some begin and the rest answere and so all continue to resound the name of the Idoll Gaia Before they enter into the Temple they shâ—ue and wash themselues The Heremites which they call Sanasses liue in Desarts and at sometimes appeare before the people naked The Girupi beare a great port and neuer goe forth on foot The Idoll Tripiti is seated on a Mountaine about which are fertile Valleyes stored with Fruites which none may touch as being consecrated There are in the Woods great abundance of Apes so tame that they will take meate out of mens hands the people esteeme them a diuine Race and of the familiaritie of Perimal the chiefe God whom they worship in many colours and shapes as of a Man Oxe Horse Lion Hogge Ducke Cocke c. Francis Fernandes saith that Cidambaram is the Mother-citie of their Pagan Rites wherein are many stately Temples and the reuenue of the Bramenes amounted to 30000. Ducats but now they are payd but 12000. yeerely Here happened a strange accident the same day the Iesuits departed the occasion of which was this There is in this Citie a Temple of Perimal wherein they worship an Ape called Hanimant whom they report to haue beene a God and for I know not what together with many thousands of other Gods to haue remained there being all transformed into Apes Now when this principall Ape was forced to passe into the Iland Zeilan and wanted a ship he leaped and at euery leape left an Iland or heape of Land behind him so making way for his Apish traine to Zeilan The tooth of this Ape was kept for a great relike in that Iland with great resort of Pilgrims thereunto and in the yeere 1554. was by the Portugals who made a roade thither in hope of great bootie taken away The Indian Princes offered the Vice-roy three hundred thousand or as Linschoten telleth seuen hundred thousand Ducats for the ransome of this Apes tooth but the Archbishop disswaded the Vice-roy who thereupon burnt the same before those Indian Embassadors and threw the ashes into the Sea Not long after a Beniane of Cambaya perswaded the Indians that hee by Diuine Power had taken away that holy Tooth beeing inuisibly present and had left another in the roome which was burnt Superstition is credulous and the King of Bisnagar gaue him a great summe of Gold for that Apes Tooth wherewith hee thus Apishly had bitten and mocked them which was after holden in like veneration as the former But to returne to our Cidambaran Historie They tell That an holy man in great penance had many yeeres held his foot pierced thorow with a piece of Iron and when he was often by God commanded to leaue that selfe-rigour he flatly refused vnlesse that hee might see God dancing about him which also Hee condescended vnto and with the Sunne Moone and Starres which played the Musicians he appeared dancing And as he danced a Chaine of Gold fel from his foot whereof this Towne tooke name For Cidambaran signifieth a golden Chaine As Viega and Ricius two Iesuites trauelled to Chaudegrin they came to Trauilur where they say their Idoll with a white Banner on his back and after him three sacred Kine with Drummers on their backes and after them Trumpetters and many Musicians of other sorts Then followed twentie women dancing which were also consecrated to the Idols seruice and might not marry but yet prostitute their bodies these were richly attired and carried Lights The Priests followed with the Idoll and were followed by the people with Lights At their returne they set downe the Idoll and set sodden Rice before him to eate others meane while driuing away the flies and others couering him that hee should not bee seene eating and at last one maketh a long Oration of the worthy acts of their God and then set him againe in his place This lasted foure houres and in the meane space many reasoned with the Iesuits and some held vaine Discourses of the Creation as that there were seuen Seas one of Salt-water the
Keepers so that at noone they went home to rest their laden braines The Agae himselfe also was gone that day on pleasure out of towne Thus the English hauing some tolerable libertie since their returne carried one emptie Tunne to the shore and an other after it in which was the Generall the rest of the companie being appointed by sundrie wayes to meete there at the Boat which was appointed to come from the ship and thus they got aboord a few onely staying longer and therefore left behinde But these with other their goods by force were rendred to them hauing recouered their ships The treacherous Aga was remoued Ider Aga placed in his roome and since Ieffar Bassa is also reported to haue lost his head In their way to Zenan they were much annoyed with cold in the Mountaynes the ground euery night couered with a white frost and the Ice in one night a finger thick The Citie is bigger then Bristoll hath a wall of mud Orchards and Gardens within the same there are many women and children kept as Hostages to secure the Parents and Husbands allegeance The way is by ragged Mountaynes especially betweene Tayes and Zenan and hath many Censers or Innes by the Grand Seignior erected for the case of Trauellers Their returne from Zenan was on the nineteenth of Februarie eighteene miles to Surage where the people are poore clothed from the waste to the knees The twentieth to Damane twentie miles a Towne consisting of fiue Hamlers ioyned a plentifull place The next day they trauelled till after mid-night and came to Ermin fifteene miles The two and twentieth they went fourteene miles and the three and twentieth staid at Naquellamare a common Inne On the Hill there is a Castle the Gouernour an Arabian No Turke may passe this way without Passe and Licence the Arabs in the most places ruling and the people not brooking the Turkish insolence The foure and twentieth they tooke vp Asses but the people tooke them away againe notwithstanding the Bassaes warrant they went fifteene miles The fiue and twentieth sixteene miles to Rabatanim Censor The sixe and twentieth as farre beyond to Merfadine The seuen and twentieth to Tayes a Citie halfe as bigge as Zenan with a mud wall and a Castle On the first of March sixteene miles to Fufras The second eleuen miles to Asanbine The fourth to Mousa seuenteene miles Hereabouts and at Tayes is store of Indico The fift they came to Moha The Countrey is populous all the way and because it is so little knowne I haue particularly related this iournall On the fift of Ianuarie is great resort of people to Fufras in deuotion towards one of their Saints there buried and thence they goe together to Mecca Moha is a towne vnwalled very populous seated close to the Sea a salt sandie barren soile the Aga had beene as they say Catamite to Ieffar Bassa as the other at Aden also At their returne he feasted Sir Henrie and called for the Alcoran kissed it and swore that hee bare him no ill will Hee might rather haue sworne by their ships for that was the Deitie that he most feared These in this time found a good Road called Assab for their refreshing in the Abex or Habesh shore the King of Roheita a towne neere the Bab kindly entertayning them At this Assab-road they had wood and water enough but brackish with other prouisions at reasonable rates On the shore they are Mahumetanes within land Christians This King came riding pompously on a Cow to the English when Generall Saris was there with fish-shels hanging for a iewell on his forehead The better sort speake and write Arabike the vulgar another language But this is African and so may we reckon Socotora 〈◊〉 those two Ilands which confront it Of which one they say is the habitation of Men and the other of Women which sometimes haue entercourse one with the other but the Aire Natures inexorable and heauy Hand-maid not suffering any long abode to each but in their owne alotted portion Loth am I to looke any further into that boysterous Sea and therefore leauing all that huge Tract of Afrike as compassed by a sudden thought but vnsaluted wee shall finde other Asian Ilands in the Mediterranean And because being now wearied the Archipelago would be too tedious a passage for vs neither are there many Ilands worth naming in Propontis or the Euxine we will speake a little of Rhodes and Cyprus and then remember how long we haue forgotten our Readers patience The former of those contayneth about an hundred and twentie miles fertile in soile and of most pleasant aire caused by that loue which Phoebus beareth to it ; there neuer passing day in which hee doth not in his bright and shining apparell salute it And for this citie happily was that huge Colossus of brasse gilded ouer and reputed the most wonderfull of the Worlds seuen Wonders here dedicated to the Sunne though some ascribe it to Iupiter the workmanship of Chares Lindius of threescore and ten cubits or as others tell an hundred and fortie three feet but it selfe told fourescore cubits in height which falling by an Earthquake the Oracle forbade the Rhodians to erect againe But nothing forbade Mabias it Muaui the fifth Caliph after his seuen yeeres warre about Constantinople as saith Constantius out of Theophanes inuading this Iland to carry away nine hundred Constantius numbreth many more Camels burthens of this brazen carkasse The Temple of Liber was here enriched with many presents of the Greeks and Romans to both which the Citie of Rhodes was had in friendly and honourable regard Much was their force by Sea in ancient times and for two hundred yeeres space it was the seate of the Hospitular Knights which now reside in Malta driuen thence by mightie Solyman These Knights had also by purchase of King Richard the first of England the Ilands of Cyprus dedicated by the Poets to Venus to whom the Inhabitants were too much addicted as appeared by their Temples and other vanities in her honour At Paphos shee was worshipped in the likenesse of a Nauell and round thereabouts by the Deuils working it rayned not Trogus writeth That the Cyprians prostituted their daughters before they married them to Mariners on the shore We haue seene at Rome saith R. Volateranus the attendants of Queene Carlotta neuer a whit better then those ancient Of Cyprus thus reporteth Ammianus Marcellinus lib. 4. It is ennobled by two Cities Salamis and Paphus the one famous for Iupiters Images the other for the Temple of Venus It is so plentifull in all things that it needes no helpe of other Nations and of her owne abundance is able to set forth a ship from the Keele to the Top-saile with all prouision furnished to the Sea Neither grieue I to tell it the Romans more greedily then iustly made themselues Lords thereof For Ptolomie the King being Confederate with vs was proscribed
if he filled his paunch with the flesh and bloud of their dearest Children as Balbi and others report of the Moderne Inhabitants of Pegu before related King Menas built a Citie called Crocodile and dedicated the Neighbour-fenne to their food They were as scrupulous in the vse of meates some abstained from Cheese some from Beanes some from Onyons others after their owne fancie This multiplicitie of Sects is ascribed to the policie of their ancient Kings according to that Rule Diuide and Rule For it was not likely they would ioyne in Conspiracie whom Religion the most mortall make-bate had disioyned At Coptus where the holies of Isis were most solemne there were sayth Aelian store of great Scorpions which presently killed such as they stung but yet the women which there lamented Isis no lesse then Widowes the death of their Husbands or Mothers of their Children and going bare-foot are neuer hurt by them Heere they deuoted the Male Goats to their bellies the Females to their Goddesse Hawkes were consecrated to Orus or the Sunne because they flie and looke directly against the Sun-beames of this bird they fabled that it liued seuen hundred yeeres They which will may find in that his tenth Booke the Reasons of diuers other their beastly and foule deuotions to Fowles and Beasts too tedious for this place They held Serpents in so sacred account that Osiris is neuer painted without them and Iesephus saith That it was reckoned a happinesse which I thinke few would enuy them to be bitten of Aspes as also to be deuoured of Crocodiles Venimous was that Old Serpent which both here and in other Nations then and at this day hath procured diuine honor to this first Instrument of Hell As if he would thus exalt this Trophee of his ancient conquest in despight both of God and Man in that Creature whereby Man perished and which God had cursed except we will rather attribute it to a deuillish malice or apish imitation of that Brasen Serpent set vp by Moses in the Wildernesse the figure of Christ crucified who brake this Serpents head Ieremie the Prophet was stoned some say at Tanis in Aegypt and was after worshipped of the Inhabitants there such was their difference of Sects for his present remedying the stings of Serpents I thinke by this time either my Relation or their superstition is tedious and yet I haue not mentioned other their gods both stinking and monstrous Loth am I to search the Waters for their deified Frogs and Hippopotami or play the Scauenger to present you with their Beatle-gods out of their priuies yea their Priuies and Farts had their vnsauorie canonization and went for Egyptian deities Lettice sutable to such lips So Hierome derideth their dreadfull deitie the Onion and a stinking Fart Crepitus ventris inflati quae Pelusiaca religio est which they worshipped at Pelusium Lesse brutish though not lesse idolatrous was it in Ptolomaeus Philopator to erect a Temple to Homer in which his Image was placed comely sitting enuironed with those Cities which challenged him for theirs That came neerest to reason in the Egyptian deities though farre enough from Religion when they expressed God like a Man with an egge in his mouth thereby intimating that God created the World with his Word So in the Citie Sai they expressed in hieroglyphikes an Infant an old Man a Hawke a Fish and a Riuer-horse on the doores of Minerua's Temple as if Minerua should say O yee which are borne and die know that God hateth impudence This also by the way we adde for difference of Egyptian hieroglyphikes and Indian pictures in Mexico that these expressed Histories those concealed Mysteries the Indians describing things as plainly as they could the Egyptians yeelding a double shell before you come to the kernell and therefore more implicite and difficult then the other For that a picture of a Hawke a Fish and a Riuer-horse should represent such creatures is euident but that one of these should represent God the second Hatred the third Impudence is a mysterie and if well searched an absurditie and a thing much to be admired that wise men should so admire things so ridiculous §. II. Of their Sacrifices their Iewish Rites and of their Priests THeir sacrifices were so diuersified in their kindes that Peucer saith they had sixe hundred threescore and sixe seuerall sorts of them Some they had peculiar to speciall gods as to the Sunne a Cocke a Swan a Bull to Venus a Doue to the celestiall Signes such things as held correspondent similitude besides their sacrifices of Red men to Osiris Busiris is said to haue offered Thrasius first Author of that Counsell worst to the Counsellor thereby to appease angrie Nilus that in nine yeeres had not ouer-flowed They offered euery day three men at Heliopolis in stead of which bloudie rites Amasis after substituted so many waxen Images Thus were their gods beastly their sacrifices inhumane or humane rather too much Other things they obserued of their owne inuention framing to themselues deformed and compounded shapes whose Images they adored Such were their Canopi swadled as it were in clowts so resembling Orus with heads of dogs or other creatures Osiris is sometime seene with the head of a Hawke Isis with the head of a Lion Anubis alway with the head of a dogge and contrariwise beasts pictured with the heads of Osiris and Isis monstrous misse-shapen figures of misse-shapen monstrous mysteries They borrowed of the Iewes abstinence from Swines-flesh and Circumcision of their Males to which they added Excision of their Females still obserued of the Christians in those parts Theodoret testifieth That Pythagoras receiued circumcision of the Egyptians which they receiued of the Hebrewes Ambrose affirmeth That the Egyptians circumcised both sexes at the age of fourteene yeeres as the Ismaelites at thirteene because that then the lusts of copulation begin to burne which Reason teacheth to neede circumcision and therefore it seemeth they vsed it in those parts that are the seats and instruments of Lust and not either in regard of originall corruption or the promised Seede which were hidden mysteries to their mysticall superstitions It is like the Deuill would thus prophane this diuine Sacrament of Circumcision as at this day in the Heathen Nations about Congo and in Iucatan in America before the Spaniards came there They so abhorre Swine that if one by the way touch them hee presently washeth himselfe and his garments Neither may a Swine-heard haue accesse into their Temples or marry with their daughters Yet doe they offer Swine to the Moone and Bacchus Isis and Osiris when the Moone is at full In this sacrifice they burne the Tayle Milt and Leafe and which on another day would be piacular on that day of the full they eate the rest Aelian giueth this reason of their hatred of Swine because it is a gluttonous beast not sparing the
after the Moores account which History is thus reported A certaine Foquere Talbie Heremite or Saint names giuen by diuers to the same called Side Hamet Ben Abdela liued in Wed Sowre forty dayes iourney beyond Marocco Eastward where sometime hee entertayned Sidan to his great content fleeing then to his Horne or defence in time of distresse This man the Moores report to be a great Magician that he could feed three hundred Horse at one pit of Barley and the same no whit diminished that he had foretold of plenty the last yeere which came accordingly to passe that hee could by his Art secure men from the danger of Gunshot Hee being of great reputation for Wealth Learning and Holinesse gathered a band of men and conducted them to Marocco Sidan with an Armie of sixteene thousand giues him battle at Marocco thee tenth of May 1612 and was ouethrowne For he went himselfe and led his Company on the mouth of the Ordnance without that mee he causing as the Moores report that the bullets should still remayne in the Peeces when they were discharged as he had often for the confirmation of his people made triall before setting fortie Gunners to shoot at as many others without harme by the like Art Thus hee lost none of his owne and many of the other were slaine Sidan fled to Safia and embarques his two hundred women in a Flemming his riches in a Marsilian This was taken by Don Liuys the Spanish Admirall wherein were thirteen chests of Gold or as Masten Ioseph Keble then at Saphia reported to mee fifty fardels of Arabike Bookes valued at a Million of treasure he saw ten of those fardels The other ship at Santa Cruz met Sidan and deliuered him his women Men were more necessary which he wanted and yet worse then their want some offered their seruice for pay and receiuing it forsook him whereby he was forced to flee into the Mountayns where he is said yet to remaine Side Hamet now called Mully Hamet Ben Abdela placed a Gouernour in Marocco another at Taradant the cheife City of Sus. Since I published these Relations certaine Letters haue beene printed and entituled Newes from Barbary which more largely discourse of this Saint That hee is about thirtie sixe yeeres very ciuill and plaine in habit his Turbant of course Calico his Alheik or loose Gowne of Lile Grogram a plaine Sword by his side hanged with a plaine leather thong a man of great Wisdome and Learning an Astrologer and Politician He hath drawne to him Alcaid Azus aforesaid the principall Counseller of the Land and many other Saints and principall men and since his comming hath married the Widdow of Muley Boferis He alledgeth certaine Prophecies which foretell these his proceedings in reuiuing their Law rooting out the Xeriffes and establishing peace in his Reigne which shall continue fortie yeeres after which Christ as hee saith shall come to iudgement The Talbies and learned men doe confesse that they find these Prophecies of him in their Bookes to wit both his name his beginning at Missa his course and certaine bodily characters as a Wart aboue his right eye a blacke or gray tooth before which Master Keble saith he saw a Ring in the palme of his right hand and a Spurre in his right foot a bunch of haire betweene his shoulders and others to the number of seuen all which agree to him At his beginning he put forth onely one Tent and a Kitchin and then resorted to him the Shrokies a Saintish people in their Law but otherwise in behauiour very Sauages of which a hundred and fiftie or two hundred serued him without pay with whom he brake Alhadge Lemiere his forces seruants to Sidan being fiue hundred strong His Shrokis encreased to fiue hundred with whom and others that added themselues by the way he ouerthrew Sidans forces three times before the battle Then did he subdue certaine Mountayners which Sidan nor his Father could neuer bring vnder By the way to Marocco hee was to passe a Riuer and warned his people that none should take vp water in their hand to drinke which some doing anon after dyed Comming to Dets where hee found a great Power to withstand him hee comforted his fearefull followers with promise that to morrow they should see more with him then against him and remoouing his Tents that night there seemed another Armie greater then theirs till they came at Dets and then vanished the enemies first with sight thereof hauing fled and left all to the spoyle This saith our Authour our Countriman M.W. with diuers others sweare they haue seene if any credit or the name of our Countriman bee to be giuen to a Renegado He himselfe with some other of our Nation went to see him and receiued kinde entertainment with promise of fauour to the English willing them to take knowledge that hee was sent by Gods appointment to releeue all of all sorts and to aduertise what they had seene saying they should see more strange matters come to passe meaning as they ghessed the conquest of Spaine France and Italy with which opinion he possesseth the foolish Moores For when hee hath set peace in those parts hee tels them of a Bridge recorded in their Writings to haue beene in former times which shall appeare in the mouth of the Straits to carry them ouer But what will bee the issue is vncertaine the people soone after beginning to disobey the Shabenites and Brebers robbing to the gates of Marocco Another reporteth that euery day they flee from him more and more and Muley Sidan is expected againe Him yee last left at Sancta Cruz from whence as by later intelligence I haue receiued he went to Side Hia another famous Foquere in the Mountaines of Atlas at whose Zowia or Religious House being arriued hee sate downe on a stone nor would enter till he had obtayned conference where they agreed on conditions that Sidan should leaue his tyrannies and proclayme pardon to the aduerse party Hia promising accordingly his best assistance This the next yeere 1613. was performed Sida Hia gathering an Armie of 50000. men most of which were Brebers of the Countrey of Hea or Haha with which hee marched towards Marocco Mully Sydan in the meane while had giuen diuers battles or slighter skirmishes to Mully Hamet with losse to himselfe notwithstanding his promise of seuen dayes sacke of Marocco to his Souldiers if they could recouer it Mully Hamet was neere Azamor at this approch of Hia from whence he made more haste then speed being then about fifteene thousand strong with a thousand Horse riding before and leauing the rest of his Armie to follow With it his handfull of men and heart full of manly courage he set vpon the great Armie of Side Hia three times peruayling but at last with multitudes was ouerthrowne his Horse first and himselfe after being slaine with a shot his wonted Deuill or Imposture now failing
neere the Cape of Good-hope the Aethiopians haue no hope or hap of good colour whereas the hotter Countreys of Libya and in manner all America notwithstanding the Sunnes strait looking and neerenesse not allowing them a shaddow to attend them in the greatest height of his bounty know not this blacke tincture in the Naturals thereof But to returne and who will not returne to the Mines There are other Mines in the Prouinces of Boro and Quiticui in which and in the Riuers is found Gold not so pure The people are carelesse and negligent to get and the Moores which traded with them were faine to giue their wares in trust with promise by such a time to pay them in Gold and the people would not faile in their word Other Mynes are in Toroa wherein are those buildings which Barrius attributeth to some forren Prince and I for the reasons before alledged to Salomon It is a square Fortresse of stone the stones of maruellous greatnesse without any signe of morter or other matter to ioyne them The wall fiue and twenty spannes thicke the height not holding proportion Ouer the gate are letters which learned Moores could neither reade nor know what letters they were There are other buildings besides of like fashion The people call them the Court for an Officer keepes it for the Benomotapa and hath charge of some of his women that are there kept They esteeme them beyond humane power to build and therefore account them the workes of Deuils and the Moores which saw them said the Portugals Castles were no way to bee compared to them They are fiue hundred and ten miles from Sofala Westward in one and twenty degrees of Southerly Latitude in all which space is not found one building ancient or later the people are rude and dwell in Cottages of Timber All the people of this Region is of curled hayre and more ingenious then those which are against Mosambique Quiloa and Melinde among whom are many that eate mans flesh and let their Kine blood to satisfie their thirst These seeme prone to receiue the Faith for they beleeue in One GOD whom they call Mozimo and haue no Idols nor worship other thing They punish nothing more seuerely then Witchcraft whereunto other Negros are exceedingly addicted no such person escapeth death The like detestation they conceiue against Adultery and Theft Euery one may haue as many wiues as they will but the first is principall the other serue her and her children are heires A woman is not mariageable with them till her naturall purgation testifie for her abilitie to Conception and therefore they entertaine the first fluxe thereof with a great Feast In two things they are Religious in obseruation of dayes and Rites concerning their dead Of dayes they obserued the first day of the Moone the sixt the seuenth the eleuenth the sixteenth the seuenteenth the twentieth and the eight and twentieth because in that day their King was borne The Religion is in the first sixt and seuenth all the rest are repetitions aboue ten When any is dead after his bodie is eaten his neere kindred or his wife which hath had most children by him keepe the bones with some signes whereby to know whose they were and euery seuenth day they obserue Exequies in the same place where they are kept They spreade many clothes and set thereon tables furnished with bread and sodden flesh which they offer to the dead with prayers and supplications And the principall thing they request of them is the good successe of their Kings affaires These prayers they make being cloathed in white garments after which the good man and his family eate their offerings The Benomotapa must weare cloathes of the same Country for feare of infection others may weare forren cloth He is serued on the knee and when he drinketh or cougheth all they which are about him make a shout that all the Towne may know None may cough in his presence also euery one must sit in token of reuerence to stand is a signe of dignity which he affordeth the Portugals and Moores and is the chiefe honour can bee yeelded any The second honour is to sit on a cloth in his house the third that a man may haue a doore in his house which is the dignity of great Lords For meaner persons they need not feare to haue any thing stolne out of their open houses seeing the seuerity of Iustice doth secure them Doores are not for necessity but for honour Their houses are of pyramidall or steeple forme all the timbers meeting in the middest at the top couered with earth and straw Some of them are made of timbers as long and as bigge as a great ships mast the greater they are the more honorable The Benomotapa hath musicke whithersoeuer he goeth with singers and more then fiue hundred iesters which haue their Captain or Master of Reuels The royall Ensigne is a little plow-share with an Iuory point which he carrieth alway at his girdle by which is signified peace and husbanding of the ground He beareth likewise one or two swords in token of Iustice and defence of his people The Country is free and giues him no other payments but presents when they come to speake with him and certaine dayes seruice No inferiour comes before his superiour without some present in token of obedience and courtesie The Captaines of warre with all theirs bestow seuen dayes in thirty in his husbandry or other businesse Hee must confirme all sentences of Iudgement in his owne person there needs no Prison for matters are presently dispatched according to the allegations and testimonies that are brought And if there bee not sufficient testimonies then the matter is tryed by oath in this manner They beat the barke of a certaine tree and cast the powder thereof in water which the party drinketh and if he doe not vomit he is cleared if he vomit he is condemned And if the accuser when the accused party vomiteth not will drinke of the same and doth not vomit he is then acquitted and the matter dispatched If any sue to him he speedeth not but by mediation of a third person which also sets down the summe that the King must haue somtime at so deare a rate that the suter rather refuseth the Kings grant They haue no Horse and therefore warre on foot the spoyles are generally shared amongst all When he marcheth in the place where he is to lodge they make a new house of wood and therein must continuall fire be kept without euer going out saying that in the ashes might be wrought some witcheries to the indamagement of his person And when they goe to the warres they neuer wash their hands nor faces till they haue obtained victory They haue their wiues with them which are so loued and respected that if the Kings sonne meet with one of them in the street hee giues her way Benomotapa hath more then a thousand women but the first is
Gibbins was employed on this Discouerie in the Discouerie so was the ship called but withous any great discouerie that I haue heard of Persisting in their purpose the next yeere Robert Byleth one which had beene in three former Voyages was sent forth in that ship as Master and William Baffin his Mate with foureteene other Men and two Boyes which leauing England about the latter end of March stayed at Silly till the seuenth of April and were forced to put-backe to Padstow in Cornwall but weighing Anchor on the nineteenth on the sixt of May saw land on the Coast of Groen-land on the East-side of Cape Farewell On the first of lune they came into a good Harbour on the N. W. side of the Iland of Resolution which is at the entrance into Hudsons Strait in 61. degrees 45. minutes On the eight they came to Sauage Ilands in 62. degrees 30. minutes threescore Leagues from the entrance so called of some people they found in a Canow they were at their Tents also and found among other things a little bagge with many small images of men therein and one of a woman with a child at her backe The Tents were couered with Seales skinnes and about them some forty Dogs ranne vp and downe most of them muzzled as bigge as Mungrel-Maâ—â—iues of a brended blacke colour looking almost like Wolues these they vse to draw their sleds ouer the ice with collars and furniture fitting their sleds also being shod or lined with fish-bones The people are like those in Groenland but not so neat and ciuill ranging vp and downe as their fishing is in season vncertaine where they keepe in Winter The Master was confident in this and other places that the floud came from the West which Baffin saith by the floating of the ice he obserueth on land to be contrarie onely the Islands cause by their diuers points differing Sects and Eddie On the two and twentieth of Iune He obserued the Longitude hauing faire sight of the Sunne and Moone and found himselfe by Astronomicall account 74. degrees 5. minutes West from the Meridian of London which if some studious Mariners would practise in their remote Voyages wee should soone haue a farre more perfect Geographie I omit their icie sieges sometimes scarsly leauing them space to dip a paile of water They called one place in 65. latitude and 85. degrees and 20. minutes long Cape Comfort for the hopes they apprehended of a passage which soone they found to be frustrate Hence they passed to Sea-horse Cape so named of the plenty of Morses and fifteene leagues thence to Notingham Iland and thence to Digs his Iland in all those places obseruing the floud come from the South-east Captaine Button and Hudsons men being all deceiued as this our Authour affirmeth other Ilands sometimes keeping off the force of the tyde or by eddies causing an obscurity and their errour We will therefore leaue that spacious Sea called Buttons Bay with the great Ilands and some places not yet perfectly discouered within and beyond that Strait of Hudson and come to Baffins Bay so discouered to be This last yeere 1616. at the charges of the worthy Aduenturers before mentioned in the same ship by the same Master the same both their Pilot and ours The first land they saw after their departure from England was in Fretum Dauis on the Coast of Groenland in 65. degrees 20. minutes On the fourteenth of May where they saw people But they plyed to the North till they were in 70. degrees 20. minutes The people fled from them Here they tooke in fresh water but doubted the passage because the tydes were small not aboue eight or nine foot and vncertayne the floud from the South On the six and twentieth day they found a dead Whale floting and got from the roofe of her mouth 160. of those synnes or Whale-bones but could not get the rest by reason of foule weather following On the first of Iune they put in among diuers Ilands the people forsooke their Seale-skin-tents and fled some women they found whom they kindly intreated giuing them pieces of Iron for which they returned Seales skins and the fat or blubber of them as for our meate tasting they would not swallow it They called the place the Womens Ilands in 72. degrees and 45. minutes the floud comes from the South and the most of their food is the flesh of Seales dryed and eaten raw they cloth themselues with the skins whereof they also make couerings for their Tents and Boats dressing them very well The Women differ in their apparell from the Men razing their skins with sharpe Instruments and putting thereon an indelible blacke colour marking their faces with diuers blacke lines They haue a kind of deuotion to the Sunne which continually they will point vnto and strike their hand on their brest Crying Ylyout They bury their dead on the side of the Hils where they liue which is commonly on small Ilands making a pile of stones ouer them yet not so close but that the corps may be discerned the piercing ayre keeping them from stinke their Dogges also they bury in the same manner They came to other Ilands in 74. degrees 4. minutes which vse to be much frequented with people in the latter part of the yeere as it seemeth by the houses made of stones and turfe round like Ouens with doores to the South but they were not yet come Iune the ninth The floud ariseth not aboue fiue or sixe foot the ebbe runnes stronger by the abundance of melted Snow On the fifteenth day in the latitude of 73. degrees 45. minutes came forty two of the Inhabitants to them in Boats and gaue them Seales skins and many pieces of the bone or horne of the Sea-Vnicorne and shewed them pieces of Morses teeth They receiued in exchange small pieces of Iron Glasse Beades and the like thus they did foure times the place they called Horne Sound On the third of Iuly they passed by a faire Cape in 76. degrees 35. minutes which they named Sir Dudley Digs his Cape Twelue leagues beyond is Wolstenholme Sound a fit place for killing of Whales Proceeding a little further they found themselues embayed One place they called Whale Sound of their abundance in 77. degrees and 30. minutes Hakluyts Iland is neere and Sir Thomas Smiths Sound in 78. degrees The Compasse there varieth aboue 56. degrees to the Westward so that a North-east and by East of the Compasse is the true North which hath not beene obserued so much varied in any part of the World Putting off to the West side of the Bay they gaue names to Alderman Iones his Sound and that of Sir Iames Lancaster and in their returne recouered their sicke men by Scuruy-grasse or Cochlearia which they found on a little Iland in great plenty boyled in Beere and eaten in Sallads with Orpine and Sorrell and so returned home Thus wee see Fretum Dauis is no passage
and qualities of Newfoundland are related by Master Parkhurst Master Hayes Sir Geo. Peckham Stephen Parmenius Richard Clarke Master Christopher Carlile all whose Discourses and experiments hereof Master Hakluyt hath collected and bestowed on the World The North-part is inhabited the South is desart although fitter for habitation Besides the abundance of Cod heere are Herrings Salmons Thornbacke Oysters and Muskles with Pearles Smelts and Squids which two sorts come on shore in great abundance fleeyng from the deuouring Cod out of the frying-pan into the fire It is thought that there are Buffes and certayne that there are Beares and Foxes which before your face will rob you of your fish or flesh Before they come at Newfoundland by fifty leagues they passe the banke so they call certayne high ground as a veine of Mountaynes raysing themselues vnder the water about ten leagues in breath extending to the South infinitely on which is 30. fathome water before and after 200. Sir Hum. Gilbert tooke possession thereof by vertue of her Maiesties Commission Anno 1582. It is within Land a goodly Countrey naturally beautified with Roses sowne with Pease planted with stately trees and otherwise diuersified both for pleasure and profit And now our English Nation doe there plant and fixe a setled habitation a chiefe Actor and Authour of which businesse is Master Iohn Guy of Bristow who in the yeere 1608. sayled from Bristow in three and twenty dayes to Conception Bay in Newfoundland Of this Plantation and their wintrings and continuance there I haue seene diuers Relations with Master Hakluyt written by Master Guy William Colston c. In the yeere 1611. in October and Nouember they had scarsly sixe dayes frost or snow which presently thawed the rest of those moneths being warmer and dryer then in England December was also faire with some Frost Snow and Raine The winde in these three moneths variable from all parts Ianuary and February was most part Frost to mid March the wind most commonly Westerly and sometimes from the North. The Sunne often visited them with warme and comfortable rayes chasing away the Snow and not suffering the Brookes to be frozen ouer three nights with Ice able to beare a Dogge The Snow was neuer except in drifts aboue eighteene inches deepe They had there Filberds Fish Makerels Foxes in the winter Partridges white in the winter in Summer somewhat like ours but greater they are much afraid of Rauens They killed a Wolfe with a Mastiue and a Grey-hound Eastons piracies were some trouble to them Anno 1612. They found houses of Sauages which were nothing but poles set round and meeting in the top ten foot broad the fire in the middest couered with Deeres skins They are of reasonable stature beardlesse and in conditions like to those which Sir Martin Frobisher discouered broad-faced ful-eyed coloured on their faces and apparell with red Oaker Their Boats of Barke as in Canada twenty foot long foure and a halfe broad not weighing 100. weight made in forme of a new Moone which carry foure men and are by them carried to all places of their remoouings Their Patent was granted 1610. for Plantation betweene forty six and fifty two to bee gouerned by a Councell of twelue and a Treasurer There wintered 1612. 54. men six women and two children They killed there Beares Otters Sables sowed Wheat Rie Turneps Coleworts Their Winter till Aprill 1613. was dry and cleere with some frost and snow Diuers had the Scuruy whereto their Turneps there sowne were an excellent remedie no lesse then Cartiers Tree hereafter mentioned April was worse then the midst of Winter by reason of East-winds which came from the Ilands of Ice which the current bringeth at that time from the North. The same I haue seene confirmed by a letter of Thomas Dermer one of that Colony dated at Cupers Coue the ninth of September last 1616. In other moneths he saith the temperature is as in England He mentions Muske-cats and Musk-rats in those parts the fertilitie of the soyle in producing Pease Rie Barly and Oates probabilities of Metals with promises of more ful Relations hereafter Master Richard Whitborne hath lately published a Book of his Voyages to Newfoundland and obseruations there with certaine Letters also touching the new Plantations by English therein at the charges of Sir George Caluard written by Edward Winne N. H. c. §. II. The Voyages and Obseruations of IAQVIES CARTIER in Noua Francia NEere to Newfoundland in 47. degrees is great killing of the Morse or Sea-oxe In the I le of Ramea one small French ship in a small time killed fifteene hundred of them They are as great or greater then Oxen the Hide dressed is twice as thicke as a Buls hide It hath two teeth like Elephants but shorter about a foot long growing downwards out of the vpper iaw and therefore lesse dangerous dearer sold then Iuory and by some reputed an Antidote not inferiour to the Vnicornes horne The young ones are as good meate as Veale which the old will defend holding them in her armes or forefeet And with the bellies of fiue of the said fishes if so wee may call these Amphibia which liue both on land and water they make an Hogshead of traine Oyle Their skins are short-haired like Seales their face is like a Lions and might more fitly haue bin termed Sea-Lions then Sea-horses or Sea-oxen they haue foure feet no eares the hornes are about halfe an ell in length they vse to lye on the Ice a sunning and are soonest killed with a blow on the fore-head Some of our English shâ—ps haue attempted this enterprize for the killing of the Morse but not all with like successe nor with so good as reported of Cherry Iland At Brions Iland is such abundance of Cods that Master Leighs company with foure hookes in little more then an houre caught 250. of them Neere to the same in the Gulfe of S. Lawrence are three termed the Ilands of Birds the soyle is sandy red but by reason of many Birds on them they looke white The birds sit as thicke as stones lie in a paued street or to vse Iaques Cartiers comparison as any field or Medow is of grasse Two of these Ilands are steepe and vpright as any wall that it is not possible to clime them On the other which is in 49. degrees 40. minutes and about a league in circuit they killed and filled two Boats in lesse then halfe an houre Besides them which they did eate fresh euery ship did powder fiue or six barrels of them There are an hundred fold as many houering about as within the Iland Some are as bigge as Iayes blacke and white with beakes like vnto Crowes their wings are no bigger then halfe ones hand and therefore they cannot flye high yet are they as swift neere the water as other Birds they are very fat these they called Aponatz a lesser kind which there aboundeth they named Godetz A
together may no way compare with this Countrey either for commodities or goodnesses of soyle This sparke kindled in their hearts such constancie of zeale and forwardnesse that they furnished out Sir Thomas Gates who had happily returned with the rest from Bermudas with six ships 300. men and a hundred Kine with other Cattle Munition and prouision of all sorts Sir Thomas Dale hauing newes that it was a Fleet of enemies prepared himselfe and the rest to an encounter but it ended with a common ioy in the shaking of hands and not of Pikes Lawes are now made for lawlesnesse had marred so much before for the honour of God frequenting the Church obseruation of the Sabbath reuerence to Ministers obedience to superiours mutuall loue honest labours and against Adultery Sacriledge wrong and other vices Harbengers of Gods wrath and mans destruction The Colony consisted of seuen hundred men of sundry Arts and Professions few of them sicke which hauing left the Fort at Cape Henry fortified and kept by Captaine Dauies and the keeping of Iames Towne to that Noble and wel-deseruing Gentleman Master George Perole is remoued vp the Riuer fourescore miles further beyond Iames Towne to a place of higher ground strong and defencible by nature with good Ayre plenty of Springs much faire and open grounds freed from Woods and wood enough at hand Here they burnt brickes cut downe wood and euery man fals to somewhat they haue built they say competent houses the first story all of bricke that euery man may haue his lodging and dwelling by himselfe with a sufficient quantity of ground allotted thereto Here also they were building an Hospitall with fourescore lodgings and beds already sent for the sicke and lame as the Booke called the New life of Virginia relateth Master Whitaker in his Letter and Booke from Henrico 1612. testifieth the health and welfare of the Colonie Samuel Argal in the yeere 1613. affirmed likewise that hee found the state of Virginia farre better then was reported In one Voyage they had gotten 1100. bushels of Corne they found a slow kind of Cattle as bigge as Kine which were good meate and a medicinable sort of earth They tooke Pokohuntis Powhatans dearest daughter prisoner a matter of good consequence to them of best to her by this meanes being become a Christian and married to Master Rolph an English Gentleman Thus I haue beene bold somewhat largely to relate the proceedings of this Plantation to supplant such slanders and imputations as some haue conceiued or receiued against it and to excite the diligence and industry of all men of ability to put to their helping hand in this Action so Honourable in it selfe Glorious to God in the furtherance of his Truth and beneficiall to the Common-wealth and to the priuate purses of the Aduenturers if the blooming of our hopes be not blasted with our negligence As for the want of successe hitherto Careat successibus opto Quisquis ab euentu facta notanda putet Reason should preuaile with Men leaue sense and euent of things as an argument for Beasts That reason which sheweth Virginia's more then possibilities probabilities doth also point out the causes of those ill Successes Discontents at Sea Ignorance of the Country and of their Language Diuision in the Councell Commanders some of them not skilfull Souldiers nor forward Aduenturers Care to relade the Ships before they could prouide Houses of Victuals Ambition Cruelty Neglect of the Seasons for Fish and Land-commodities Brackish slimy Water at Iames Fort Riot Sloth False information in England Sending ill People that consumed the rest with idlenesse Want of Authority to punish them That kind of Aristocraticall Authority first established occasion of their Quarrels Iniuries to and from the Saluages and yet a necessity of their vse and helpe Sicknesse caused by the grosse and vaporous Aire and soyle about Iames Towne and drinking water The theeuish trucke and exchange which some secretly held with them The treachery of Fugitiues Falshood of the Sauages and the Many many faults as they report of Mariners in priuate truckings and night marts both with our Men and Sauages Their long stay and spending the Colonies reliefe besides Extraordinary casualties of fire cold shipwracke and if wee beleeue Ouiedo and obserue the like amongst the Spaniards the very Aire of the Indies seemes to be of inclination and disposition to contentions which easily ruine and dissolue the greatest and best enterprises that I speake not of the Deuils malice to Christian hopes Experience hath now made men wiser both to preuent and remedie these euils and to order their proceedings accordingly And although Fame fils not our eares with so often and many Virginian rumors as aforetimes yet we know that still waters are deepest and wee cannot but hope that those worthy Virginian-Consuls cunctando restituunt rem rather with carefull prouidence and watchfull diligence working sure then with humerous hastinesse laying foundations to a leisurely repentance seeking more the common good there then to be the common talke heere Once they there maintayne themselues now a long time without the wonted charge to the Company and diuers of our Nobility and Gentry doe now as after a long slumber while we are writing these things againe bethinke them of this Virginian Plantation whereunto the profitable Neighbour-hood of the Summer Iles or Bermudas may be good furtherance God Almighty prosper both that the Word may goe out of Bermuda and the Law of the Lord from Virginia to a truer conuersion of the American World then hitherto Our Humorists or Spanish insolencies haue intended §. III. Of the Soyle People Beasts Commodities and other Obseruations of Virginia FOr the description of the Countrey Master Hakluyt from Others Relations in his third Volume of Voyages hath written largely of those parts discouered for Sir Walter Raleigh Concerning the later Captaine Iohn Smith partly by word of mouth partly by his Map thereof in print and more fully by a Manuscript which hee courteously communicated to mee hath acquainted mee with that whereof himselfe with great perill and paine had beene the Discouerer being in his discoueries taken Prisoner as is before said and escaping their fury yea receiuing much honour and admiration amongst them by reason of his Discourses to them of the motion of the Sunne of the parts of the World of the Sea c. which was occasioned by a Diall then found about him They carried him Prisoner to Powhatan and there beganne the English acquaintance with that sauage Emperour The summe of his obseruation in that and other Discoueries since concerning the Countrey is this Virginia is situate betweene 34. and 44. degrees of Northerly latitude the bounds whereof on the East side are the great Ocean Florida on the South on the North Noua Francia the Westerne limits are vnknowne But that part which began to bee planted by the English Southerne Colony in the yeere 1606. is vnder the degrees 37.
would eate them The seuerall peoples by him reckoned would heere be tedious to name which we may say of the like made by Godoy and Aluarado Of the customes of the Ancient Mexicanes one of Cortes his Gentlemen hath written a Treatise extant in Ramusius wherein are described their Citie Temples Rites of Sacrifice and the like as after followeth out of him and others CHAP. X. Of the ancient Inhabitants of New-Spaine and the Historie of their Kings §. I. The Mexican Exodus and first founding HAuing now declared the subuersion of this State and Kingdome by the Spaniards I hold it not amisse to looke backe vpon the first people which heere inhabited with the beginnings and proceedings of the Mexican Empire The first Inhabitants of New-Spaine were very barbarous and sauage which liued onely by Hunting and for this reason were called Chichemecas They liued naked solitary in the Mountaines without Tillage Policie or any religious Ceremonies their wiues followed the same Hunting exercise leauing their children tied in a Panier of Reeds to the boughs of some tree They did eat what they got in hunting raw They ate also Snakes and Lizards which they offered likewise in sacrifice to the Sunne whom onely they worshipped and that without any Image they offered to him Fowles from the Butter-fly to the Eagle And some remnants of the like beastly men as is said before are yet found which doe great hurt and will not by either cunning or force of the Spaniards be reduced to any other course They seeme to haue learned the Sauage nature of the wilde Beasts of whom and with whom they liue By this meanes it came to passe that this wilde Mountainous people left the best and most fertile part of the Country vnpeopled which certaine remote Nations possessed whom they called Nauatalcas for their ciuilitie These came from those Northerne parts which now they call new Mexico The Nauatalcas paint their beginning and first Territorie in maner of Caues because of their seuen Tribes and men comming out of them By the supputation of their Bookes this departure was aboue eight hundred yeeres since and by reducing to our account about the yeere of our Lord 720. Fourescore yeeres they stayed on the way the cause whereof they ascribe to their Gods which spake visibly to them and bade them seek new Lands that had such signes as they notified Thus they proceeded in seeking those signes and peopled the best parts still remouing their habitations as they found more fertile Countries leauing onely the aged sicke and weary with a few others to remaine in the former And by these leisurely proceedings they entred the land of Mexico about the yeere 902. after our account Those seuen Nations came not all at once but first the Suchimilcos next the Chalcas and thirdly the Tepanetans fourthly those of Tescuco after them the Tlalluicans the sixt were the Tlascaltecans which helped the Spaniards to conquer Mexico and therefore are exempted from tribute to this day These expelled as their Histories say certaine Gyants whom in pretence of Friendship they had inuited to a banquet and in their drunkennes stole away their weapons and slew them Neither doth this seeme a fable for at this day are found dead mens bones of incredible bignesse I saw a tooth saith Acosta at Mexico in the yeere 1586. as bigge as the fist of a man and according to this all the rest was proportionable Three hundred and two yeeres after the first transmigration those of the seuenth Caue or Line arriued which is the Mexican Nation they worshipped the Idoll Vitzliputzli and the Diuel spake gouerned this Nation He promised to make them Lords ouer all which the other six Nations possessed and to giue them a Land plentifull in riches whereupon they went forth carrying their Idoll with them in a Coffer of Reeds supported by foure of their principall Priests with whom he talked and communicated his Oracles and Directions He likewise gaue them Lawes and taught them the Ceremonies and Sacrifices they should obserue And euen as the pillar of Cloud and Fire conducted the Israelites in their passage thorow the Wildernesse so this apish Diuell gaue them notice when to aduance forwards and when to stay The first thing they did wheresoeuer they came was to build a house or Tabernacle for their Vitzliputzli which they set alway in the middest of their Campe and there placed the Arke in the middest of the Altar This done they sowed the Land and if their God commanded to gather they did so and if to raise their Campe they obeyed leauing the aged sicke and weary to gather their fruits and to dwell there The chiefe Captaine whom they followed was called Mexi whence came the name of their City and Nation Their Idoll perswaded them when some were bathing themselues in certaine Lakes to remoue the Campe closely and steale away their clothes whereat they which were thus forsaken changed their language and manner of life retayning alway their hatred to the Mexicans They peopled the Prouince Mechouacan from hence to Mexico is fifty leagues and vpon the way is Malinalco which they say was peopled by a Witch and her familie whom by the commandement of their God they left behinde closly remouing the armie by night They stayed in a place called Tuta where by stopping a Riuer they drowned a Plaine and planted it round with Willowes and other trees and many liking the place talked of staying there whereat their God offended threatned the Priests and in the night slew those which had consulted of staying Their hearts were found pulled out and their stomackes opened which after that they obserued in their Sacrifices The Mexicans by the aduice of their Idoll proceeded and by force made way thorow the Chalcas and sent to the Lord of Culbuacan who granted them the place of Ticaapan to dwell in which was full of Snakes and venemous Beasts which by the helpe of their God they tamed He would not suffer them to stay there but commanded them to proceed and to seeke forth a Woman whom they should name the Goddesse of Discord Whereupon they sent to the King of Culhuacan to demand his Daughter to bee Queene of the Mexicans and Mother of their God who easily condescended and sent his daughter gorgeously attired The same night she arriued by order of their God shee was murthered and flayed and a yong man was couered with her skin with her apparell thereon and being placed neere the Idoll she was consecrated a Goddesse and Mother of their God they euer after worshipping the same making an Idol which they call Toccy that is Our Grand-mother The King of Culhuacan hereupon warred against them and chased them out of those parts by which meanes they came to the place where Mexico now is Heere certaine old Priests or Sorcerers entring into a place full of Water-Lillies they met with a very faire and cleare current of Water with Trees
when there seemed defect of these Sacrifices to goe to their Kings telling them that their Gods died for hunger and therefore should be remembred Then assembled they their people to warres to furnish their bloudy Altars There happened a strange accident in one of these Sacrifices reported by men of worthy credit That the Spaniards beholding these Sacrifices a young man whose heart was newly plucked out and himselfe tumbled downe the staires when he came to the bottome he said to the Spaniards in his Language Knights they haue slaine me The Indians themselues grew weary of these cruell Rites and therefore they easily embraced the Spaniards Christianitie Yea Cortes writ to the Emperour Charles that those of Mechoacan sent to him for his Law being weary of their owne as not seeming good vnto them Some of the Spaniards were thus sacrificed at Tescuco and their Horse-skinnes tanned in the haire and hung vp with the Horse-shooes in the great Temple and next to them the Spaniards garments for a perpetuall memory At the siege of Mexico they sacrificed at one time in sight of their Countrimen forty Spaniards The Mexicans besides their cruelties had other vnbeseeming Rites in their Religion as to eate and drinke to the name of their Idols to pisse in the honour of them carrying them vpon their shoulders to anoint and besmeare themselues filthily and other things both ridiculous and lamentable They were so deuout in their Superstitions and superstitious in their deuotions that before they would eate or drinke they would take a little quantitie and offer it to the Sun and to the Earth And if they gather Corne Fruit or Roses they would take a leafe before they would smell it and offer the same he which did not thus was accounted neither louing nor loued of God The Mexicans in the siege of their Citie being brought to all extremities spake thus as Lopez reporteth vnto Cortes Considering that thou art the childe of the Sunne why doest thou not entreat the Sunne thy Father to make an end of vs O Sun that canst goe round about the World in a day and a night make an end of vs and take vs out of this miserable life for we desire death to goe and rest with our God Quetcanath who tarrieth for vs CHAP XII Of the Religious places and persons in New-Spaine wherein is also handled their Penance Marriages Burials and other Rites performed by their Priests §. I. Of their Temples WE haue already mentioned the Temple of Vitziliputzli in Mexico which requireth our further description It was built of great stones in fashion of Snakes tyed one to another and had a great circuit called Coatepantly that is a circuit of Snakes Vpon the top of euery Chappell or Oratorie where the Idols were was a fine pillar wrought with small stones blacke as Iet the ground raised vp with white and red which below gaue a great light Vpon the top of the Pillar were Battlements wrought like Snailes supported by two Indians of stone sitting holding Candlesticks in their hands were like Croysants garnished and enriched at the ends with yellow and greene feathers and long fringes of the same Within the circuit of this Court there were many chambers of Religious men and others that were appointed for the Priests and Popes This Court is so great and spacious that eight or ten thousand persons did dance easily in a round holding hands which was an vsuall custome there howsoeuer it seemeth incredible Cortes relateth that within the compasse of the wall a Citie of fiue hundred houses might haue beene builded round about encompassed with goodly buildings Hals and Cloisters for the Religious Votaries to dwell in In that circuit he numbereth forty high Towers well built to which the ascent was by fifty steps or staires the least of them as high as the steeple of the Cathedrall Church in Siuill The stone-worke as curious as in any place full of grauen and painted imagerie All these Towers were sepulchres of great Lords and had each of them a Chappell to some speciall Idol There were there three large Hals with their Chappels annexed into which none but certaine Religious men might enter both full of Images the chiefe of which Cortes cast downe and in stead thereof placed the Image of the Euer-blessed neuer worthy to bee dignified with indignitie the glorious Virgin and Mother our Lord with such other Saints There were foure gates or entries at the East West North and South at euery of which began a faire Causey of two or three leagues long There were in the midst of the Lake wherein Mexico is built foure large causies Vpon euery entry was a God or Idol hauing the visage turned to the causie right against the Temple gate of Vitzliputzli There were thirty steps of thirty fadome long diuided from the circuit of the court by a street that went betweene them Vpon the top of these steps there was a walke of thirty foot broad all plastered with chalke in the midst of which walke was a Pallisado artificially made of very high Trees planted in order a fadome asunder These Trees were very bigge and all pierced with small holes from the foot to the top and there were rods did runne from one Tree to another to which were tied many dead mens heads Vpon euery rod were many skuls and these rankes of skuls continued from the foot to the top of the Tree This Pallisado was full of dead mens skuls from one end to the other which were the heads of such as had bin sacrificed For after the flesh was eaten the head was deliuered to the Priests who tied them in this sort vntill they fell off by morsels Vpon the top of the Temple were two stones or Chappels and in them the two Images Vitziluputzli and Tlaloc These Chappels were carued and grauen very artificially and so high that to ascend vp to them there were an hundred and twenty staires of stone Before these Chappels there was a Court of forty foot square in the midst whereof was a high stone of fiue hand breadth pointed in fashion of a Pyramide placed there for the sacrificing of men as is before shewed Gomara saith that this and other their Temples were called Teucalli which signifieth Gods house This Temple he saith was square containing euery way as much as a Crosse-bow can shoot leuell in the middest stood a mount of earth and stone fifty fadome long euery way built Pyramide-fashion saue that the top was flat and ten fadome square It had two such Pyramide Stones or Altars for Sacrifice painted with monstrous figures Euery Chappell had three lofts one aboue another sustained vpon Pillars From thence the eye with much pleasure might behold all about the Lake Besides this Tower there were forty other Towres belonging to other inferiour Temples which were of the same fashion onely their prospect was not Westward to make difference Some of those Temples were bigger then
vsed the like with all his seruants and ornaments they gaue him for the other world and lastly buried the ashes with great solemnitie The obsequies continued ten dayes with mournefull songs and the Priests carried away the dead with innumerable ceremonies To the Noble-men they gaue their honourable Ensignes Armes and particular Blazons which they carried before the body to the place of burning marching as in a Procession where the Priests and Officers of the Temple went with diuers furniture and ornaments some casting incense others singing and some making the Drums and Flutes to sound the mournfullest accents of sorrow The Priest who did the Office was decked with the markes of the Idoll which the Noble-men had represented for all Noble-men did represent Idols and carrie the name of some One The Mexicans honoured the best souldiers with a kinde of Knighthood of which were three Orders one ware a red ribband which was the chiefe the second was the Lyon or Tyger-knight the Grey-Knight was the meanest they had great priuiledges Their Knighthood had these funerall solemnities They brought the corps to the place appointed and enuironing it and all the baggage with Pine-trees set fire thereon maintaining the same with gummie wood till all were consumed Then came forth a Priest attired like a diuell hauing mouthes vpon euery ioynt of him and many eyes of Glasse holding a great staffe with which he mingled all the ashes with terrible and fearfull gestures When the King of Mexico sickened they vsed forthwith to put a Visor on the face of Tezcatlipuca or Vitzilivitzli or some other Idoll which was not taken away till hee mended or ended If he died word was presently sent into all his Dominions for publike lamentations and Noble-men were summoned to the funerals The body was laid on a Mat and watched foure nights then washed and a locke of haire out off for a relike for therein said they remained the remembrance of his soule After this an Emerald was put in his mouth and his body shrowded in 17. rich mantles costly and curiously wrought Vpon the vpper mantle was set the Deuice or Armes of some Idoll whereunto he had been most deuout in in his life time and in his Temple should the body be buried Vpon his face they put a Visor painted with foule and deuillish gestures beset with jewels then they killed the slaue whose office was to light the Lamps and make fire to the gods of his Palace This done they carried the body to the Temple some carrying Targets Arrows Maces and Ensignes so hurle into the funerall fire The High Priest and his crue receiue him at the Temple gate with a sorrowfull Song and after he hath said certaine words the body is cast into the fire there prepared for that purpose together with jewels also a Dog newly strangled to guide his way In the meane-while two hundred persons were sacrificed by the Priests or more to serue him as is said The fourth day after fifteene slaues were sacrificed for his soule and vpon the twentieth day fiue on the sixtieth three c. The ashes with the locke of haire was put in a Chest painted on the in-side with deuillish shapes together with another locke of haire which had been reserued since the time of his birth On this Chest was set the Image of the King the kinred offered great gifts before the same The King of Mechuacan obserued the like bloudy Rites many Gentlewomen were by the new King appointed their Offices in their seruice to the deceased and while his body was burning were malled with clubs and buried foure and foure in a graue Many Women slaues and free Maidens were slaine to attend on these Gentlewomen But I would not bury my Reader in these direfull graues of men cruell in like and death Let vs seeke some Festiuall argument if that may be more delightfull CHAP XIII Of the supputation of Times Festiuall Solemnities Colledges Schooles Letters Opinions and other remarkeable things in New Spaine §. I. Their Kalender and Conceits of Time and some of their Feasts THe Mexicans diuided the yeere into eighteene moneths ascribing to each twentie dayes so that the fiue odde dayes were excluded These fiue they reckoned apart and called them the dayes of nothing during the which the people did nothing neither went to their Temples but spent the time in visiting each other the Sacrificers likewise ceased their Sacrifices These fiue dayes being past the first moneth began about the twentie sixe of February Gomara sets downe their moneths names in order The Indians described them by peculiar Pictures commonly taken of the principall Feast therein They accounted their weeks by thirteene dayes they had also a weeke of yeeres which was likewise thirteene They reckoned by a certaine Wheele which contayned foure weekes that is two and fiftie yeeres In the midst of this Wheele was painted the Sunne from which went foure beames of lines in a Crosse of distinct colours Greene Blue Red and Yellow and so the lines betwixt these on which they noted by some Picture the accident that befell any yeere as the Spaniards comming marked by a man clad in Red The last night when this Wheele was run about they brake all their vessels and stuffe put out their fire and all the lights saying that the World should end at the finishing of one of these Wheeles and it might be at that time and then what should such things need Vpon this conceit they passed the night in great feare but when they saw the day begin to breake they presently beat many Drums with much other mirth and Musicke saying that God did prolong the time with another Age of two and fifty yeeres And then began another Wheele the first day whereof they tooke new fire for which they went to the Priest who fetched it out of a Mountaine and made a solemne Sacrifice and Thanksgiuing The twenty dayes of each moneth were called by seuerall names the first Cipactli which signifieth a Spade and so the rest a House a Dogge a Snake an Eagle a Temple and the like By this Kalendar they keepe things in memory aboue nine hundred yeeres since The Indians of Culhua did beleeue that the Gods had made the World they knew not how and that since the Creation foure Sunnes were past and that the fift and last is the Sunne which now giueth light vnto the World The first Sunne forsooth perished by water and all liuing creatures therewith the second fell from Heauen and with the fall slue all liuing creatures and then were many Giants in the Country the third Sunne was consumed by fire and the fourth by Tempest of ayre and wind and then Mankind perished not but was turned into Apes yet when that fourth Sunne perished all was turned into darknesse and so continued fiue and twenty yeeres and at the fifteenth yeere God did forme one man and woman who brought forth children and at the end of other ten yeeres
poore mans Offering which hee deliuered to the Priests who pulled off their heads and cast them at the foote of the Altar where they lost their bloud and so they did of all other things which were offered Euery one offered meate and fruit according to his power which was laid at the foote of the Altar and was carried to the Ministers Chamber The offering done the people went to dinner the young men and Maydes of the Temple being busied meanewhile to serue the Idoll with all that was appointed for him to eat which was prepared by other women who had made a vow that day to serue the Idoll These prepared meats in admirable variety which being ready the Virgins went out of the Temple in Procession euery one carrying a little basket of bread in her hand and in the other a dish of these meates Before them marched an old man like to a Steward attired in a white Surples downe to the calues of his legges vpon a red Iacket which had wings instead of sleeues from which hung broad Ribands and at the same a small Pumpion stucke full of flowres and hauing many Superstitious things within it This old man comming neere to the foot of the staires made lowly reuerence Then the Virgins with like reuerence presented their meats in order this done the old man returnes leading the Virgins into the Conuent And then the young men and Ministers of the Temple came forth and gathered vp their meat which they carried to their Priests Chambers who had fasted fiue dayes eating but once a day not stirring all that time out of the Temple where they whipped themselues as before is shewed They did eate of these Diuine meates so they called it neither might any other eate thereof After dinner they assembled againe and then was sacrificed One who had all that yeere borne the habit and resemblance of their Idoll They went after this into a holy place appointed for that purpose whither the young men and Virgins of the Temple brought them their ornaments and then they danced and sung the chiefe Priests drumming and sounding other Instruments The Noblemen in ornaments like to the young men danced round about them They did not vsually kill any man that day but him that was sacrificed yet euery fourth yeere they had others with him which was the yeere of Iubilee and full pardons After Sun-set the Virgins went all to their Conuent and taking great dishes of earth full of bread mixed with Hony couered with small Panniars wrought and fashioned with dead mens heads and bones carried the same to the Idoll setting them downe retired their Steward vshering them as before Presently came forth all the young men in order with Caues of Reedes in their hands who began to runne as fast as they could to the top of the Temple staires euery one striuing to come first to the Collation The chiefe Priests obserued who came first second third and fourth neglecting the rest these they praysed and gaue them ornaments and from thence forward they were respected as men of marke The said Collation was all carried away by the young men as great Relikes This ended The young men and Maydes were dismissed and so I thinke would our Reader who cannot but be glutted with and almost surfet of our so long and tedious feasting Yet let me intreat one seruice more it is for the God of gaine who I am sure will finde Followers and Disciples too attentiue For the Festiuall of this Gaine-god Quetzaalcoalt the Merchants his deuoted and faithfull Obseruants forty dayes before bought a slaue well proportioned to represent that Idoll for that space First they washt him twice in a Lake called the Lake of the Gods and being purified they attired him like the Idoll Two of the Ancients of the Temple came to him nine dayes before the Feast and humbling themselues before him said with a loud voice Sir nine dayes hence your dancing must end and you must dye and hee must answere whatsoeuer hee thinketh In a good houre They diligently obserued if this aduertisement made him sad or if he continued his dancing according to his wont If they perceiued him sad they tooke the sacrificing Rasors which they washed and clensed from the bloud which thereon had remayned and hereof with another liquor made of Cacao mixed a drinke which they said would make him forget what had beene said to him and returne to his former iollitie For they tooke this heauinesse in these men to be ominous On the Feast Day after much honouring him and incensing him about midnight they sacrificed him offering his heart to the Moone and after cast it to the Idoll letting the body fall downe the staires to the Merchants who were the chiefe Worshippers These hearts of their Sacrifices some say were burned after the Oblation to this Planet and Idoll The body they sauced and dressed for a Banquet about breake of day after they had bid the Idoll good morrow with a small dance This Temple of Quetzaalcoalt had Chappels as the rest and Chambers where were Conuents of Priests young men Maydes and Children One Priest alone was resident which was changed weekly His charge that weeke after hee had instructed the Children was to strike vp a Drumme at the Sunne setting at the sound whereof which was heard throughout the Citie euery one ended his Merchandize and retired to his house all the Citie being as silent as if no bodie had beene there at day breaking hee did againe giue notice by his Drumme for till that time it was not lawfull to stirre out of the Citie In this Temple was a Court wherein they danced and on this Idols Holy-day had erected a Theater thirty foot square finely decked and trimmed in which were represented Comedies Masks and many other representations to expresse or cause mirth and ioy §. III. Of their Schooles Letters and other their Opinions THe Mexicans had their Schooles and as it were Colledges or Seminaries where the Ancients taught the Children to say by heart the Orations Discourses Dialogues and Poems of their great Orators and chiefe Men which thus were preserued by Tradition as perfectly as if they had beene written And in their Temples the sonnes of the chiefe Men as Peter Martyr reporteth were shut vp at seuen yeeres old and neuer came forth thence till they were marriageable and were brought forth to be contracted All which time they neuer cut their haire they were clothed in blacke abstained at certaine times of the yeere from meats engendring much bloud and chastened their bodies with often fasting And although they had not Letters yet they had their Wheele for computation of time as it is said before in which their writings were not as ours from the left hand to the right or as of the Easterne Nations from the right hand to the left or as the Chinois from the top to the bottome but beginning below did mount vpwards as in that
in water thicke and white the next day in fresh and the day after saw two Islands in the mouth of Amazones accounting themselues fortie Leagues vp the Riuer May 22. they were in the Riuer of Wiapogo which they called Caroleigh in three degrees and halfe Northward from the Line The people were ready to giue them entertainment The Iayos and Capayos offered them their owne houses and gardens already planted two of which he accepted with some gardens vndertaking to defend them against the Charibes and their other enemies They desired him to send into England for some to teach them to pray and gaue fiue pledges to be sent thither He after intending for England dyed aboord his ship of the Flux They intoxicate the fish with a strong sentedwood called Ayaw whereby they easily take them on the top of the water Their bread is Cassaui of which chewed they also make drinke They are much troubled with a Worme like a Flea the Spaniards call it Niguas which creepes into the flesh of their toes vnder the nailes and multiply there with much multiplication of torment except they vse speedie preuention One was so pestred with them that for remedie they were faine to hold his feet vpwards and powre thereon melted Wax hot which being cold they plucked off and therewith seuen or eight hundred Niguas The people are of modest countenance naked but would weare clothes if they had them Huntly returned for England and left there fiue and thirtie which should haue bin succoured it Discord had suffered Anno 1605. a ship was sent for supply but the Mariners and Land-men quarelling these were left on Land at Saint Lucia an Island in twelue degrees of Northerly Latitude to the number of threescore and seuen and most of them slaine a by the Ilanders These Indians go naked haue long blacke haire their bodies painted red with three strokes also of red from the eare to the eye Eleuen of our men after much miserie and famishment which killed some of them in the way got to Coro and after good and bad entercourse of fortunes with the Spaniards some returned home The Spaniards there as Iohn Nichol one of this companie testifieth told them of a Vision of Christ on the Crosse appearing to our King and reuoking him from his error at the sight whereof three of our Bishops fell into a trance and so continued three dayes after which they became Catholikes and preached and the King had sent to the Pope for learned men to perfect this Conuersion These were the Spanish tricks with faithlesse tales to peruert these men to their faith The Mariners gaue names to the places which they left according to their conceits of these men Rogues Bay Cape Knaue Riuer of Rascals They came as farre as Comana or Cumana where they obserued the weather hot till noone and then a coole breeze and thunder without raine by windes and current they were detained from Wiapogo which they sought A Fleming there told them fabulous rumours of Warres with Spaine Another ship of Amsterdam to disgrace our men told the Indians of Wiapoco that they came to inhabit there and to oppresse them as the Spaniards did See what gaine can doe without godlinesse A ship of Middleburgh came thither with Negros to sell thither came also a ship of Saint Malos The Indians of these parts as Wilson reporteth choose their Captaines at their drunken Feasts in this sort They set the nominated person in the midst with his hands lifted ouer his head making Orations to him to bee valiant after which they whip him with a whip that fetcheth bloud at euery stroke for tryall of his courage he neuer mouing thereat They haue commerce with the Deuill For they told vs of three ships in the Riuer of Amazons and that One two moneths after would visit vs They call this Deuill Peyae with whom the men haue often conference the women neuer that they could perceiue they suffer not meane-while a childe in the house When any bee sicke they thus consult of their recouerie and if their Oracle answer death they will giue no Physicke if life they vse their best helpes For an Axe they would trauell with them two or three moneths or finde them so long victuals at home The Iayos are proud ingenious giuen to flouting The Arwakos of better carriage The Saspayes craftie The two former hate the Spaniards as much as the Caribes Their houses haue doores at each end the men keepe at one end the women at the other they are like Barnes but longer some hundred and fiftie paces long and twentie broad an hundred of them keepe together in one No raine commeth in notwithstanding that store which falleth in Aprill May Iune and most of Iuly They paint them when they goe to feasts Against the time of trauell the women haue as roome apart whereto they goe alone and are deliuered without helpe which done shee cals her husband and deliuers it to him who presently washeth it in a pot of water and paints it with sundry colours I could not heare saith Wilson the woman so much as grone all the time of her trauell When one dyes they make great moane ten or twelue dayes together and sometimes longer Here are store of Deere Hares Conies Hogs Monkeyes Leopards Lyons Porke-pines Parrots as big as Hennes blue and red very beautifull c. He returned with the rest in a ship of Amsterdam the Indians being loth to part with them They often inquired of Sir Walter Raleigh and one came from Orenoque to aske of him alledging his promise of returne The like remembrances of him are mentioned by Master Harcourt in his late published Voyage to Guiana This worthy Gentleman An. 1608. with Gentlemen and others to the number of 97. set forth for Wiapoco The ninth of May they fell into the Current of that great and famous Riuer of Amazones of which they drunke fresh and good being 30. leagues from Land the tenth day the water became muddy whitish and thicke the eleuenth day they made Land and their Pinnace being left dry vpon the Ebbe by the next floud comming on was almost spoyled Thence they stood along the Coast to Wiapoco whither they came May the seuenteenth and setled themselues at Caripo Hee tooke possession in his Maiesties name as Captaine Leigh had also done of this spacious Countrey of Guiana bounded on the North with Orenoque and the Sea on the East and South with the Riuer of Amazones on the West with the Mountaines of Peru The Charibes are the Ancient Inhabitants the Other later Incrochers There is no setled gouernment amongst them only they acknowledge a superioritie which they will obey as long as they please They commonly punish Murther Adulterie by death which are the only offences punished amongst them and certaine persons are appointed to execute those punishments The better sort haue two or three wiues or more the rest but one
Spanish Wine They eate Serpents and Toads which with them are not venemous and Lizards Our Authour saw one Lizard as big as a man with scales on her backe like Oysters They haue a kind of Monkey called Sagouin of the bignesse of a Squirrell the fore-halfe in shape resembling a Lion they haue another strange beast called Coaty as high as a Hare with a little head sharpe eares and a snout or beake aboue a foot long the mouth so little that one can scarsely put in his little finger it feedeth on Ants They take Petum it is not Tobacco not in Pipes but put foure or fiue leaues in another greater and firing it sucke in the smoke and therewith in time of warre will sustaine themselues three dayes together without other sustinance They weare this herbe about their neckes When Sir Francis Drake made his famous and fortunate Voyage about the World in the South-Sea he lost the rest of his company the Elizabeth wherein M. Winter was which returned into England and a Pinnesse wherein were seuen men besides Peter Carder the relater of this History This Pinnesse being alone returned backe the Straits and on the North side of the Riuer of Plate sixe went on shore into the wood to seeke food where threescore and ten Tapines shot at them and wounded all whereof two dyed soone after foure were taken their Pinnesse also being broken onely Peter Carder and William Pitcher remained which liued in an Iland two moneths on a fruit somewhat like Orenges Crabs without any fresh-water the want whereof forced them to drinke their owne Vrine saued in sherds for that purpose till the next morning weary of this life which began to grow weary of them they with a planke and certaine boords made shift in three dayes to set themselues ouer into the maine three leagues distant where meeting with fresh-water this Pitcher was broken and dyed within halfe an houre of ouer eager drinking Carder encountred certaine Sauages called Tappaubasse which led him away dancing rattling tabering They slept on beds of white Cotton netting tyed two foot from the ground and a fire on each side to preuent cold and wild beasts the next day they marched twenty miles to their Towne which was foure-square with foure houses euery house being two bow-shoot in length made with small trees like Arbours thatched to the ground with Palme-tree leaues hauing no windowes but thirty or forty doores on each side the square Their chiefe Lord was named Caion about forty yeeres old he had nine wiues the rest but one except the most valiant which were permitted two one for the house another to goe with him to the warres In this Towne were neere foure thousand persons Hee found among them good entertainment for certaine moneths They vsed to goe to the Warres three or foure hundred in a company with bowes and arrowes and hauing ouercome would bring home their captiues tyed by the arme to so many of their mens armes and soone after would tye them to a poste and with a club after dancing and drinking slit their heads Their drinke is made of a root chewed by women and spit into a trough where it stands two or three dayes and hath a yest on it like Ale and then is tunned into earthen jarres wherewith they drinke themselues drunke After halfe a yeere hauing learned the Language he was requested to their Warres against the Tapwees and much bettered their martiall skill teaching them to make an hundred Targets of tree-barke and two hundred clubs marking their owne company with red Balsam of this they haue red white blacke very odoriferous and so marched seuen hundred together three dayes to another foure-square Towne like but lesse then their owne They knocked downe two hundred tooke twenty they broyled their carkasses and after also the prisoners How many men they kill so many holed they make in their visage beginning at the nether lippe and so proceeding to the cheeke eye-browes and eares Some Portugals came to search for him two of which and some Negros were taken and eaten Hee obtained leaue to goe to the Coast hauing foure to prouide him victuals for nine or ten weekes and so came to Bahia de todos los Santos where he yeelded himselfe to Michael Ionas a Portugall and arriued in England in Nouember 1586. nine yeeres after his setting forth §. III. Most ample Relations of the Brasilian Nations and Customes by Master ANTHONY KNIVET MAster Anthony Kniuet hath written a Treatise of what he had seene and suffered in Brasil He was one of Master Candishes company in his vnfortunate voyage 1591. who after much misery sustained in the Magellan Straits in their returne was set on shore at St Sebastians where many of his company died with eating a kinde of blacke venemous Pease Hee saw there a great beast come out of the Riuer hauing on the backe great scales vgly clawes and a long tayle which thrust out a tongue like a harping iron but returned without harme Hee found a dead Whale which with long lying was couered with Mosse on which hee yet liued a fortnight His company were knocked on the head with firebrands and he like to be eaten of the Sauages but escaped this and many other miseries and was saued by the Iesuites from being hanged by the Portugals Where his calamities compelled him with another Indian in like predicament of slauerie to escape by flying swimming two miles ouer the Sea and so they trauelled seuen and thirty dayes thorow a desart meeting by the way as he saith Lyons Leopards huge Serpents Some Indians they saw with feathers of diuers colours fixed on their bodies and heads with oyle of Balsam seeming as if they had bin so borne not leauing a spot bare but on their legs The Sauages sell their children to the Portugals for toyes Some of them were so haunted with a Spirit which they called Coropio like that which Lerius his Sauages called Aignan that some of them dyed therewith in much amazement Many complained that they were possessed with spirits which they called Auasaly and commanded themselues to bee bound hand and foot with bow-strings desiring their friends to beat them with cords wherewith they hang their beds but most died notwithstanding They haue wormes which creepe into their fundaments which consume their guts for remedie whereof they take slices of Limons and greene pepper and put therein with salt water He in diuers expeditions for war and Merchandize with the Portugals and escapes from them trauelled thorow more of those Sauage nations then perhaps any other before or since Out of whole obseruations bought at so deare a rate I haue heere mustered these many wild people before thee with such rarities as hee found amongst them The Petiuares are not so barbarous as many other they inhabite from Baya to Rio Grande their bodies are carued with fine workes in their lips is a hole made with a Roe-Bucks horne which
well attended to meet him and make his prouisions At Yeraslaue another Querry of the Stable met him At Musco hee was honourably entertayned Knez Iuan Suetzcoie attended with 300. Horse brought him to his lodging Sauelle Frolloue the Secretary was sent to congratulate his welcome with many dishes of dressed meate and promise of best accommodating The next day the Emperour sent a Noble man Ignatie Tatishoue to visit him with faire words and promise of speediest audience which was on Satturday following About nine of the clocke the streets were filled with people and a thousand Gunners attired in yellow and blue Garments set in rankes by the Captaines on Horsebacke with bright Harquebuses in their hands from the Ambassadours doore to the Emperours Palace Knez Iuan Sitzcoie attended him mounted on a faire Gennet richly bedecked with a faire Gelding well furnished for the Embassadour attended with three hundred Gentlemen gallantly adorned The Embassadour being displeased that the Dukes Horse was better then his mounted on his owne Horse and with his thirty men liveried in Stamell Clokes well set forth each hauing a part of his Present being most Plate marched onward to the Kings Palace where another Duke met him and told him that the Emperour stayed for him He answered that hee came as fast as he could By the way the people ghessing at the vnpleasingnesse of his message cryed Carenke that is Cranes-legs in mockage of him whereat hee stormed much The passage stayres and Roomes thorow which hee was conducted were all beset with Merchants and Gentlemen in Golden Coats His men entred before him with their Presents into the Roome where the Emperour sate in his Robes and Maiesty with his three Crownes before him foure young Noble men called Ryndes shining in their Cloth of beaten Siluer with foure Scepters or bright Siluer Hatchets in their hands on each side of him the Prince and other his great Dukes and Nobles in rankes sitting round about him The Emperour stood vp and the Embassadour making his courtesies deliuers the Queenes Letters which hee receiued and put off his Imperiall Cap asking how his louing Sister Queene Elizabeth did His answere made he sate downe on a side forme couered with a Carpet and after some little pause and mutuall view was dismissed in manner as hee came and his Dinner of two hundred dishes of dressed meats sent after him by a Gentleman of qualitie I was forewarned by my secret and best friends not to intermeddle in those businesses Some secret and publike conferences passed but good note was taken that none of the great Family of the Godonoues were consulted with therein The King feasts the Embassadour grants great allowance of daily prouision and nothing would please him yea he made great complaints about friuolous matters The Merchants and the Emperours Officers were reconciled in their accounts grieuances remedied Priuiledges granted and an Embassadour to the Queene resolued on if Sir I. B. could haue conformed himselfe to the time any thing might haue beene yeelded yea he promised that if his Marriage with the Queenes Kinswoman tooke effect her issue should inherit the Crowne for assurance whereof he had a masse of ready treasure presently to be transported with his Embassadour vnto Queene Elizabeths trust The Clergy and Noblity especially the neerest allied to the old Empresse the Princes wife and her Family of the Godonoues found meanes to crosse all these Designes The King much distracted in fury caused many Witches Magicians or Wors presently to be sent for out of the North where there are many betweene Colmogro and Lappia Threescore of them were brought post to Musco where they were guarded dyeted and daily visited by the Emperours great Fauourite Bodan Belscoy to receiue from them their Diuinations or Oracles on the Subiects giuen them in charge by the Emperour Note that a great blasing Star and other prodigious sights were seene a moneth together euery night ouer Musco that yeere This Fauorite now sought to serue the turne of the rising Sunne wearied with the wicked disposition of the Emperour The Sooth-sayers tell him that the heauenly Planets and Constellations would produce the Emperours death by such a day But he not daring to tell the Emperour so much said to them that on that day they should be all burned The Emperour began grieuously to swell in his Cods wherewith he had offended so long boasting that he had deflowred thousands of Virgins and a thousand children of his begetting destroyed was carried euery day in his Chaire into his Treasury One day two dayes before the Emperour his death the Prince beckoned to me to follow and I aduenturously stood among the rest and heard him call for his Precious Stones and Iewels He then held discourse to the Nobles about him directing his eye and speech most to Boris Godouona of the nature and properties of his Gemmes of the World compassing Load-stone causing the Wayters to make a Chaine of Needles therewith touched of the Corall also and Turkesse whose beautifull colours sayd he layd on my arme poysoned with inflammation you see are turned pale and declare my death Reach out my Staffe Royall an Vnicornes Horne garnished with very faite Diamonds Rubies Saphires Emeralds and other Precious Stones it cost 70000. Markes sterling bought of Dauid Gowell of the Fulkers of Ausburge seeke out some Spiders caused his Physician Iohannes Eiloff to scrape a Circle thereof vpon the Table and put within it one Spider and after another which burst presently others without the Circle running away from it aliue It is too late it will not preserue me Behold these Precious Stones the Diamond most precious of all other I neuer affected it it restraines Fury and Luxury the powder is poyson Then he points to the Rubie this comforts the Braine and Memory clarifieth congealed bloud That Emerald of the nature of the Rainbow is enemy to all vncleanenesse and though a man cohabit in Lust with his owne Wife this Stone being about them will burst at the spending of Nature The Saphyre I greatly delight in it preserueth and increaseth Nature and Courage reioyceth the heart is pleasing to all the vitall Senses souereigne to the Eyes strengthens the Muscles Hee takes the Onyx in hand c. All these are Gods wonderfull gifts secrets in Nature reuealed to mans vse and contemplation as friends to grace and vertue and Enemies to vice I faint carry me away till another time In the afternoone he peruseth ouer his Will and yet thinkes not to dye His Ghostly Father dares not put him in minde of annointing in holy forme Hee hath beene witched in that place and often vnwitched againe He commands the Master of the Apotheke and the Physicians to prepare a Bath for his solace enquires the goodnesse of the Signe sends his Fauourite to his Witches to know their Calculations Hee tels them the Emperour will bury or burne them all quicke for their Illusions and Lyes the day is comne he is
eare to his safety doubting of some trechery much perplexed with feare as were the Gentlemen with him I procured the Lord Protector to send his Letters after him to the Queene a Tunber of Sables a gift from himselfe When he came to Saint Nicolas aboard the Ship he vsed intemperate words to the Gentleman that conducted him for him to telle be Emperour and his Counsell cut his Letters and Sables in pieces c. The Nobility hearing hereof after he was gone laid much blame on me especially the Shalkans Now was the Gouernment much altered hauing put on a new face Iustice administred and euery man liuing in peace Mans capacitie cannot comprehend how the infinite treasure which the former Emperour left behind him could be gotten together and much lesse how it should be so soone consumed and this Kingdome Princes and people so ruined His standing Reuenewes and my Collections out of their owne Records in my Description of the Russe Common-wealth may bee worth reading The traffique attracting many Nations Persians Armenians Turkes Italians Germanes French Dutch English Polonians which bring store of Gold and Siluer Coyne Precious Stones Iewels and Pearles which are taken into his Treasury for the Commodities of that Countrey by him taken from his Subiects to serue his turne at easie rates leauing them their traffique besides for Cloth Silkes Veluets Ounce-gold Tissue Cloth of Gold and Siluer Wines Fruits Spices Sugar Copper Lead Tinne Paper Indico Brasill Calicoes c. which that Countrey most needs This course of traffique and treasure with the surplusage of his Reuenues amounting yeerely vnto 1300000. Markes sterling besides all charges for his house and ordinary Salaries of his Souldiers This hath he continued to lay vp neere sixty yeeres besides the great treasures left him by his Predecessors neuer exhausted nor diminished My selfe haue seene many thousand bags rotten of old Siluer and Gold Coyne and Plate in great barred Chests piled vp in many Vaults Sellers and Stone Houses and many trustie Merchants continually weighing numbring and new bagging vp the same so that I am confident hauing conuersed much and many yeeres with those Nations that all the Kings in Christendome haue not like Riches and quantity of treasure Now to adde some thing of his Acts Conquests and conditions Hee conquered Casan Astracan the Nagaies and Chorcas Tartars and many others of that kind inhabiting aboue two thousand mules on both sides the Volga Southward to the Caspian Sea He freed himselfe from Tartacian homage Hee conquered Pollotzka Smolensca and many Townes and Castles seuen hundred miles Southwest from Mosco into the Countries of Bela Russia Lituania c. belonging to the Crowne of Poland as much and as many Townes and Castles Eastward in Linonia and the parts belonging to Swethan and Poland the Kingdome of Siberia also bringing away the King whom I saw in Musco and the adiacent Countries Northward 1500. miles He reduced the Ambiguities and vncertayne Rules of their Lawes and pleadings into a more perspicuous and plaine forme of a written Law for euery man to vnderstand and plead his owne cause without any Aduocate and to challenge vnder great penalty and mulct to the Crowne iudgement without delay He established and published one vniforme confession of Faith Doctrine and Discipline consonant to the three Symbols or Creeds professing the Religion of the Greeke Church deriuing their antiquitie from their Apostle Saint Andrew and their Patron Saint Nicolas and in regard of later dissentions in doctrine and Ceremony in that Church he hath acquitted the See of Musco from that Society and the Synodals and Oblations heretofore contributed to that Church the Patriarch Ieremy resigning the Patriarchship of Constantinople to the Metropolitan of Musco Hee vtterly disclaymes the doctrine of the Pope holding it the most erronious maruelling that any Christian Prince would yeeld him any Secular authoritie which hee caused his Clergie to declare to Fryer Anthonie Posseuinus the Popes Nuncio at the Church doore at Prechesta Hee hath built in his time fortie faire stone Churches richly adorned within and the Turrets all gilded with fine pure Gold without He hath built and dedicated aboue sixty Monasteries and Nunneries and endowed them with Bels Ornaments and mayntenance to pray for his Soule He built a goodly steeple of hewne stone in the inner Castle of Musco called Blanasenia Collacalitza with twenty greatsweet sounding Bels in it which serue to all the Cathedrall Churches standing about it ringing all together euery Festiuall day which are many and euery midnight Prayers One deed of his Charity I may not omit A great Famine followed the Pestilence of the better sort of people The Townes streets wayes were pestered with Rogues idle Beggers and counterfeit Cripples nor could any riddance be made of them Proclamation was made that they should resort to Slobida Alexandrisca to receiue the Emperours great almes on such a day Out of some thousands that came seuen hundred of the vilest and most counterfeit Rogues were all knocked on the head and cast into the great Lake for the fish to receiue the dole of their carkasses the rest were dispersed to Monasteries and Hospitals to be relieued He built aboue 100. Castles in his time in diuers parts of his Kingdome and planted them with Ordenance and Garisons He built 200. Townes in wast and dishabited places thorow his Kingdome to replenish those parts being a mile or two miles in length called Yams giuing euery Inhabitant a portion of Land and Money to keepe so many speedy Horses for his vse and for Posts He built a goodly strong stone Wal about the Citie of Musco and planted it with Ordenance and Garisons He was a goodly man of presence well fauoured of a high fore-head and shrill voyce a right Scythian full of readie wit and wisdome cruell and mercilesse his owne experience ruled State causes and affaires publike Hee was sumptuously entombed in Michael Archangell Church where his memory is still dreadfull though guarded day and night they which passe by or heare his name crossing and blessing themselues from his Resurrection againe The Empresse Anna fifth wife to the late Emperour with her young Sonne Chariwich Demetrius and their Family Nagais were confined to Onglets to reside in that Castle at the Emperours pleasure with Royall allowance for their mayntenance New Embassadors were chosen by Boris the Protector such as he best affected to illustrate his greatnesse to bee sent from the new Emperour to all Kings and. Princes his Allies The Coronation was first solemnized whereof I was an eye and eare witnesse as Master Hakluyts and Doctor Fletchers Discourses in this and other Relations of that State and Common-wealth procured at my hands declare My selfe was nominated to bee sent to Queene Elizabeth The substance of our Embassies was much alike to make knowne that by the Prouidence of God Feodore Iuanowich was crowned and setled in the Imperiall Throne
two English miles where by their owne reports there worke not daily fewer then 30000. soules some digging some filling baskets some lauing out water with buckets others carrying the earth vnto a certaine square leuell place whereupon they spread it foure or fiue inches in thicknesse which beeing dried by that dayes Sunne some of them the next day with great stones in their hands bruise the clods of earth and gathering from thence the peble stones throw them by and sifting the rest they find the Diamonds amongst the dust sometimes none as it hapned whilest I lookt on sometimes more sometimes lesse according to the earth they worke in which they well know some say by the smell others more probably by sight of the mould howsoeuer that they know it is most apparant seeing that in many places wee found the ground onely broken and not further sought into in other places digged 10. or 11. fathome deepe the earth is reddish with veines of white or yellowish chalke intermixt with Peble-stones which being deepe digged comes vp in small clods and those laid in the Sunne become hard but are easily pounded with stones as formerly of which earth I tooke a small piece and yet reserue it for satisfaction of the more curious These Mynes are not as with vs in Europe carried vnder ground and supported with Timber but digged right downe in square large pits whether it be that all the Earth affords more or lesse profit whereas ours onely run in veines or whether they want props or iudgement to take this course I cannot determine but am sure that in freeing of the water and bringing vp the Earth they goe the furthest way to worke for in place or pullies and such like deuices they with many people setting one aboue another hand vp from one to another vntill it comes to the place it must rest in and from hence proceedeth the vse of so many people seeing that besides the Earth the place where ouer-night they wrought dry is next morning a fathome deepe vnder water Such as it is thus imperfectly described the King then rented it vnto one Marcandoo of the Cast of the Goldsmiths for three hundred thounsand Pagodes a yeere reseruing all Diamonds of aboue ten Carracts to himselfe Hee againe rents it out to others by square measure according as they agree in which course some gaine others lose as in all other Aduentures The King to assure himselfe of the great Stones keeps his Gouernour there publishing extreame penalties against such as shall conceale them but neyther the terrour of them nor his many Spies can so watch such as there attend such hazards but that I haue heard Diamonds of forty Carracts haue escaped their Guard I haue seene two of neere twenty Carracts a piece and diuers of ten eleuen and twelue but very deere prized It is situated at the foot of a great Mountayne not farre from a Riuer called Christena a place naturally so barren that before this Discouery it was hardly inhabited now peopled with a hundred thousand Soules consisting of Myners Merchants and such others as liue by following such concourses sufficiently furnished with all prouisions brought thither from the Countrey round about but at excessiue rates occasioned by the many exactions raysed vpon them in their passages thorough seuerall Gouernments and Villages The Houses are very poore as not intended for continuance but onely the present occasion for in Anno 1622. the Myne was shut vp and all persons restrained from frequenting the place the reasons some imagined to be their care to keepe the Commoditie in request not to digge more vntill those already found were dispersed others affirmed the comming of the Mogulls Embassadour to this Kings Court with his peremptory demand of a Vyse of the fairest Diamonds caused this cessation vntill that pretence and some competent Present should content the Mogull for since I came from thence I heare it was opened againe but almost exhausted and very few found In this Country is also much Christall and many other sorts of transparant soft Stones of little value as Garnets Amatists Topasses Aggats and such like Likewise great store of Iron and Steele transported into many places of India bought in the place it is made for two shillings the hundred of Iron and three shillings Steele but being brought vpon the backes of Oxen fifteene dayes iourney before it commeth to the Port it becomes much dearer yet is sold for fiue shillings and eight shillings but eyther Gold Siluer Tinne Copper or other Metals this Countrey produceth not Bezar Stones in some plenty are taken from the Goates in one onely part of this Country for which and their skins they kill so many that the flesh is most throwne away and their mawes onely searcht into where they finde two three and sometimes foure small Bezars some long some round all of them growing vpon a stalke or kernell as is easly perceiued by such as are broken such as are greater come from other Countries the best out of Persia and are said to be found in Apes all of all sorts so wel knowne and much vsed in India that they cannot bee bought there to yeeld profit in England proportionable to the time and Aduenture Of these Goats this conclusion hath beene experimented foure of them haue beene taken from the place of their breeding and transported fifty or a hundred miles of which two haue beene immediately killed and in those haue beene found perfect Bezars a third repriued for tenne dayes and then flaine some shew of Bezars remayned but apparently wasted the fourth liuing but a moneth after there will be neyther Bezar nor signe of any that euer was from whence they conclude with great probability that it is some Herbe Plant or Tree peculiar to that place whereof the Goat feeding the Bezars are formed Callicoes of all sorts are in this Kingdome as cheape and plentifull as in any other part of India but different in their making and easily distinguished from those of other Countries The Painting of this Coast of Choromandel famous throughout India and are indeed the most exquisite that are seene the best wrought all with the Pensill and with such durable colours that notwithstanding they bee often washed the colours fade not whilst the Cloth lasteth this hapneth principally by a Plant which groweth only in this Country called by them Chay which dyeth or stayneth a perfect red with them in as great account as Scarlet with vs and is the Kings particular commoditie Indico is also made in this Countrey in some plenty in forme like to that sort which is called Lahore Indico whereof the Dutch haue bought store and transported it for Holland and continue so to doe but our Nation vpon good experience of the condition and value of it content themselues with such as is made in the Moguls Dominions and laden from Surat They haue within few yeeres planted store of Tobacco and
Hegira Siahir the Persian tooke Ancyra from the Romans and the I le of Rhodes captiuing the Inhabitants In the second Cosroes Sonne of Hormisda persecuted all which contradicted his Religion thorow his Kingdom imposing grieuous tributes and destroying all the Temples of Syria and Mesopotamia carrying away all their Gold Siluer and goods euen to the Marble into his Countrey In the third yeere Siahriar besieged Constantinople but departed frustrate The same yeere Cosroes oppressed the Ruhans and caused them to forsake the Orthodoxe Sect and to become Iacobites For his Physician named Ionan a Iacobite perswaded him that so long as they were Orthodoxe â— they would incline to the Romans He therefore decreed that they should either bee slaine or else become Iacobites which they all did In the fift yeere of the Hegira Cosroes was depriued by his Subiects for his tyrannies after he had reigned thirty eight yeere and his Sonne Kâ—bad set in his place called also Syroes the Sonne of Mary Daughter of Mauritius the Roman Emperour which carried himselfe well and was renowmed for Iustice but after eight moneths Raigne he and most of his people perished by Pestilence His Sonne Ardsijr succeeded and after fiue moneths was slaine In the sixt yeere Siahriar not of the Royall race obtained the Persian Souereigntie whereupon a woman of Royall bloud laid wait and slue him when he had raigned two and twentie dayes Cosroes Nephew of Hormisda succeeded who after three monethes was slaine at Chorosan After him Turana Daughter of Cosroes raigned a yeere and halfe In the fourth yeere of the Hegira Siahriar had subiected himselfe to Heraclius because Cosroes on some complaints had written to Marzuban to entrap and kill both him and his Sonne the Commander of the Armie which Letter and Carrier being intercepted by Heraclius and by him presented to Siahriar he and the other Captaines subiected themselues to Heraclius who thereupon inuaded Persia and writ to Chacan King of Harari to helpe him with forty thousand Horsemen promising him his Daughter in marriage Thus Heraclius preuayled in Syria Egypt and Armenia against the Cities and forces of the Persians there Cosroes made Marzuban called also Zurabhar his Generall who marched into the Prouince of Mausil Heraclius had at Ruha three hundred thousand Horsemen and from the tract of the Harari forty thousand were comming to him which stayed in the Prouince of Aderbigiana by his command till hee came thither Hauing subdued Armenia he went to Niniue Zurabhar and hee fought a great battell and the Persians had the worse aboue fiue hundred thousand of them being slaine with Zurabhar himselfe Hereupon Cosroes forsooke Machura and Medaijn Cities presently possessed by Heraclius and burned enioying the Kings treasures After this Syroes Sonne of Cosroes got out of Prison and slaying his Father succeeded him as before is related Heraclius came to the Village Themanin which Noah of holy memory builded after he passed out of the Arke and that he might see the place of the Arke he ascended the mountaine Giudi which is high ouer all those lands Thence he passed into Amida where Syroes made peace with him conditioning to restore to the Romans all which his Father had taken from them Heraclius returned to Ruha and commanded the Christians to returne from the Iacobite Sect to the Orthodoxe which they did Ardsijr hauing succeeded Cosroes was slaine by Siahriar against whom Marzuban gathered forces and the Persians were diuided in two parts Siahriar was slaine and Cosroes succeeded and when he was slaine Turana to whom Giasiansed Sonne of Cosroes his Vncle succeeded who being deposed Azurmis daughter of Cosroes obtayned which after a yeere and foure moneths was poysoned Perchozad Sonne of Cosroes succeeded and was shortly slaine In the seuenth of the Hegira the Sunne was so ecclipsed that the Stars were seene by day Abubecr the Iust or Abdalla Sonne of Otsman Abucahaf Sonne of Amir Sonne of Omar Sonne of Caab His mothers name was Asma daughter of Sachar Sonne of Amir Sonne of Omar Sonne of Caab He was created Chalifa the same day on which the Prophet dyed The men of Medina assembled to inaugurate Saad Sonne of Obad one of themselues and some of them said let vs haue an Emperour of vs and make you an Emperour of you O Fugitiues But when Abubecr of happy memory had praysd God and celebrated he said to them O men of Medina take whether of these you will and laid hold on Omar and Abuobeid But with multiplied cries and words Omar said to Abubecr stretch forth thy hand that we may sweare fealty to thee which hee did and both the Medina men and fugitiues sware to him Ali only and the Hasiemites excepted which would not by striking of the hand approue his Empire which yet at last seeing themselues forsaken they did The same yeere Heg. 11. the Arabians rebelled and some refused to pay tribute and Museilema the false Prophet prospered Taliha also the Sonne of Chowailet said he was a Prophet and was followed by the Asedites Newes came also of the death of Aswad Ibsua a false Prophet which was Abubecr his first victory He chased also the Absites and Dibans and returned to Medina Hee sent to warre against the Rebels and deliuered eleuen Banners for eleuen Tract Chalid Sonne of Walid was sent against Taliba and his Complices the Gatfanites Taijtes and Asedites and ouercame them Thegiagis also daughter of Harith professed herselfe this yeere a Prophetesse amongst the Taalabites and went to Museilema and was married to him but when she had staid with him three dayes she returned home Abubecr sent Ikirma Sonne of Abugiabl against Museilema with others They met in Iaman The Muslims were forty thousand which had the worse at first but after preuayled and slue Museilema with ten thousand of his followers the rest returned to Islamisme He sent Alau against the Rebells of Bahrain who chased them forced some to returne and slue those which continued in their Apostasie Alau passed also the Sea and slue all the Inhabitants of Darina In the twelfth yeere Abubecr writ to Chalid to goe to Irac who made a peace with them and the Inhabitants of Sawad on condition of tribute which was the first tribute brought to Medina He fought many battels and slue a great multitude of Infidels and got innumerable spoyles In the the thirteenth yeere Abubecr sent forces into Syria and sent Amir into Palaestina Iesid and others into Balcaa and the higher Syria and Chalid Sonne of Said to Teimaa Chalid fought a battell in Syria with Mahan a Roman Commander and chased him to Damascus where the Romans in the Sapphire Valley slue his Sonne with many others Abubecr sent Muaui with fresh supplies and made Chalid Sonne of Walid ouer the Souldiers in Syria and commanded him to goe from Irac thither which hee did with nine thousand This yeere Bosra was taken the first of the Cities in Syria The same yeere died Abubecr of happy
Abdurrahman and his Army was a 100000. Hiagi and he made 81. fights in 100. dayes Abdurrahman fled and was taken at Sahan which Zentil hearing besieged Sahan and freed him Hee assembled sixty thousand men against whom went Iezid and ouercame them Abdulmelic Anno 86. made Walid partner of the league and dyed after hee had raigned one and twentie yeeres and fifteene dayes Walid his Sonne prayed for him He was very couetous and called Sweat-stone Hee dreamed that he had pissed foure times in the chiefe Temple consulting with Said Sonne of Musabbib he told him that foure of his children should reigne which came to passe in Walid Suleiman Iezid and Hisiam His Seale was inscribed I beleeue in God our Sauiour In his time Simon Syrus was the Iacobite Patriarke of Alexandria to whom the Indians sent to ordaine them a Bishop and Priests which he refused till the Gouernour of Egypt commanded him and then the Legate went to another which did it whence arose great stirres After him was Alexander which endured hard times Abdulaziz brother of Abdulmelic the Gouernour of Egypt exacted tribute of the Monkes of each a piece of Gold This was the first tribute exacted of them After his time Asama was more cruell killing and spoyling the people and branding the Monkes with an Iron Ring in their hands which round marke they which wanted had their hand cut off of whom was a number innumerable And whosoeuer trauelled without a Passe should pay ten pieces of Gold or be slaine which was exacted of a woman whose Passe was in her Sonnes hand whom as hee drunke of the Riuer a Crocodile carried away and she neuerthelesse was forced to sell her clothes and begge that payment But Asama was taken and died by torment of his iron coller and woodden fetters in the way at the command of Omar the Chalif But the persecution of Christians continued till the Raigne of Hisiam He writ for their liberty in their Rites and Priuiledges Iezid his Predecessor had razed their Crosses and Temples and commended them to Abdalla whom he sent Gouernour But he when he came into Egypt exceedeed his Predecessors doubled the tribute and caused their persons and beasts to bee numbred and branded the Christians with the figure of a Lion cutting off euery mans hand which was found without it Hisiam therefore deposed him and sent him into Africa where he did likewise whereupon the people rebelled and slue his Sonne whose heart and inwards they threw at the fathers head Walid was the thirteenth Chalifa sixth of the house of Ommia Sonne of Abdulmelic Sonne of Merwan Hee was surnamed Abulabbas Hee was created Chalifa on the day of his Fathers death In his time were atchieued great victories His brother Muslimas inuaded the Romans and tooke many captiues Catibas Sonne of Muslimas oppugned the Land of Baikend and Mauranahar besieged Bochara wonne Sogda Fargan and Bagras And when the Turkes were assembled the Muslims assaulted and tooke their chiefe City and got great wealth Catibas Sonne of Muslima made peace with the King of Chouarazma and hee built therein a Cathedrall Temple and set a Pulpit therein thence preaching on the Friday and prayed with the Muslims he burned also his Idols they were fastned with nailes of Gold weighing fifty thousand drammes Their tribute imposed was two thousand pieces of Gold yeerely After this hee went to Samarcand and Tooke it Muhammed Sonne of Casim conquered India and the Land of Sind or Indus and slue the King Daehar The same yeere Walid commanded the Temple of Damascus to bee builded and the Church of the Christians consecrated to Saint Iohn to be pulled downe He offered for the same forty thousand pieces of Gold which they refused and therefore hee destroyed it and gaue them nothing Twelue thousand Masons were employed in that building but Walid died before it was finished Foure hundred Chists each contayning fourteene thousand pieces of gold were bestowed thereon In it were sixe hundred golden chaines of Lampes the brightnesse whereof hindred men from praying which after were coloured with smoke and remayned to the time of Omar Sonne of Abdulaziz who put them in the Treasury and hanged iron chaines in their steed Corrah Sonne of Sieric was made Gouernour of Egypt in the ninetieth yeere a man manifestly impious which entred the Cathedrall Temple of Mithra with Ruffians and Gamesters and with them sate in the Chancell in time of Prayers Anno 93. Taric conquered Spaine and Toledo and brought to Walid the Table of Salomon Sonne of Dauid made of Gold and Siluer hauing three borders or rowes of Pearles Anno 94. a great Earthquake lasted forty dayes at Antiochia and ruined the Citie The same yeere dyed Zainulabidin Sonne of Husein Sonne of Ali Sonne of Abutalib which was Religious and Deuout and performed a taske of a thousand kneelings euery day for which cause he was called the Prayer He left children Zeid and Muhammed Abugiafar of happy memory Anno 95. dyed Hagiagi which is said to haue slaine 120000. men besides those which hee slue in warres and fifty thousand dyed in his Prisons besides thirty thousand women Eightie thousand he slue when he was full But his Dominion passed as if it had not beene and happy is he which doth good The same yeere Walid cast out of Damascus Ali Sonne of Abdalla Sonne of Abbas and commanded him to reside at Homaim where hee got aboue twenty Sonnes Anno 93. dyed Corrah Sonne of Sieric Gouernour of Egypt which builded at Misra the olde Temple Walid also dyed hauing raigned nine yeeres and eight moneths He married and put away many wiues hee is said to haue had sixty three and spent much on women and buildings He built the Temple of the Prophet and the Mansions adioyning and Omar the Gouernour of Medina was set ouer it Hee first built a Hospitall for sicke and strangers His Seale O Walid thou shalt dye and giue an account A.M. 6206. and seuenty nine dayes past Suleiman his brother was made Chalif the same day Catibas Gouernour of Chorasan inuited the Chorasans to depose him which refused and slue him Suleiman placed Iezid Sonne of Mahleb which obtained many victories tooke Taberistan and Giorgian slaying and spoyling innumerable Infidels and imposing tribute on the rest Suleiman sent his brother Muslima against the Romans which lay before Constantinople a Seed time and Haruest Asamas writ that the measure of Nilus at Hulwan was falne whereupon hee commanded that measure to be builded in the Iland betwixt the Riuers of Fustata and Gijza Anno 97. which still remayneth Anno 98. Muslima conquered the City Sacaliba and made himselfe Gouernour of it Suleiman builded Ramla and made Iob his Sonne partner of the league and he dying Omar Sonne of Abdulaziz Suleiman died Anno 99. and Omar prayed for him He was tall leane slender halting many-wiued and a Glutton euery day eating about a hundred pounds Hee was poysoned by procurement
vsuall in gouernment but thou beggest helpe of him who giueth all of mercie If thou punishest thou shalt haue example but if thou sparest thou shalt be good beyond example Hee gaue him ten thousand pieces of Gold and dismissed him in Peace An. 212. Almamon published the speech according to the forme of the Alcoran and the correcting of Ali Sonne of Abutalib which had bettered the forme after the messenger of God An. 213. hee gaue to Abbas Mutasim and Abdalla fiue hundred thousand pieces of Gold to each in one day An. 215. and 216. he inuaded the Romans An. 217. One of the children of Ommia writ to him that Merwan had treasures hidden in Hebron where some chists were found and amongst other things ten thousand shirts with foule sleeues the reason whereof being asked Asmagaeus sayd that he was a Glutton and when a rosted sheepe was set before him he vsed to thrust in his hand sleeue and all for the Kidneyes as before is said and then to haue put on another garment Almamon gaue to Asmagaeus those shirts which he sold for so many pieces of Gold An. 218. Almamon tryed the People in the forme of the Alcoran grieuously punishing those which would not vtter it Hee dyed hauing reigned twenty yeeres fiue moneths and thirteene dayes None of the Abbasians were more learned He was skilfull in Astronomy and the winds and one wind beareth name of him His Seale was inscribed Aske of God and he will giue thee Muhammed Mutasim Billa Abuishac his brother was created Chalifa on the day of his brothers death An. 218. The Horrimaeans a vile and hereticall Nation made insurrection lead by Babec But Mutasim sent an Army against them which killed sixty thousand of them and the rest fled to the Roman Dominions An. 219. Muhammed Sonne of Casim Sonne of Omar Sonne of Ali Sonne of Husein Sonne of Ali had many followers made many battels but at last was taken An. 220. the children of Babec lost aboue a hundred thousand in battell in Arsaw and Babec fled to Badwa which Citie Asfin besieged and tooke and gaue security to Babec but killed him notwithstanding An. 223. Ammoria was taken and great spoyle made in the Roman Regions An. 224. Barabas Sonne of Caran made insurrection and after many battels was taken by Abdalla Sonne of Taher who sent him to Mutasim which beate him to death and then crucified him besides Babec An. 226. Asfin was added to them for in his house were found Idols and wicked Bookes neither had he altered his Paganisme An. 227. Mutasim dyed at Samarra Hee was strong able to carry certaine paces a thousand pound weight Bagdad was not able to containe his Souldiers and therefore he built Samarra and placed his Souldiers there And Samarra remayned the Seat of the Chalifas till Mutadid reigned which remooued to Bagdad as the after Chalifas also did Mutisim was vnlettered and could not write He was called Octauian for that the number of eight agreed to him eleuen wayes he was the eight Chalifa of the Abbasians created An. 218. reigned eight yeeres eight moneths and eight dayes aged forty eight yeeres borne also in the eight moneth of the yeere his Fathers eight Son left eight Sons and eight Daughters fought eight battels and left eight Millions of Gold in his Treasury and eighty thousand Staters He dyed in the yeere of the Sunne 6333. and a hundred and thirty dayes compleate An. 223. and of Dioclesian 547. Abuna Ioseph was made Patriarch of Alexandria In his time Iacob a Bishop in Aethiopia when the King was abroad in Warre was displaced by the Queene and another substituted in his place But Drought and Pestilence followed and the King sent to the Patriarch to send backe the Bishop which hee did and hee was receiued with great ioy Hee sent also Bishops into Africa to Pentapolis and Cairawan Haron Wacic Billa Abugiafar was the ninth of the Abasians and 30. King of the Muslims created on the day of his Fathers death at Samarra An. 227. And An. 228. hee remooued his Iudges and Scribes and tooke of them much money A. 230. Abdalla Son of Taher deceassed an honorable and valiant man which had bin Gouernour of Chorasan Egypt and Syria to whom was great resort of learned men and Poets to whom he was very bountifull Wacic seeking to increase his abilitie for lust was aduised to eate Lions flesh boyled in red Vineger and to take three drammes thereof but he dyed soone after he had vsed it Stretching his sicke body on a Carpet he said O thou whose kingdome passeth not haue mercy on him whose Kingdome passeth away He loued and rewarded Poesie Hee propounded to men the forme of the Alcoran as Almamon had done and alienated mens minds from him He reigned fiue yeeres nine moneths and sixe dayes Giafar Abufadl Mutewakkel Aballa Wacics brother succeeded An. 231. They first put on the Chalifate Robes on Muhammed Sonne of Wacic but then contemning his childhood the Iudge Ahmed sent for Giafar Sonne of Mutasim and clothed him with a long garment and kissed him betwixt both his eyes saluting him Emperour of the faithfull and surnaming him Mutewakkel He imprisoned Muhammed his Counsellor and appointed one to keepe him waking and after some dayes watching permitted him to sleepe which he did a day and a night and then put him into a hot Iron Ouen hauing nayles within and there tortured him to death He was a Grammarian and Poet but proud shamelesse couetous and mercilesse being accustomed to say that Mercy was a certaine imbecilitie in nature and that Liberalitie was foolishnesse An. 235. Mutewakkel appointed his Sonne Mustansir Billa his Successor after him Mutaz Billa after that Muaijad Billa giuing to each two Banners one black which was the Banner of the league or couenant the otherwhite of their place of gouernment assigning to Mustansir Africa and all the West from Egypt also Kinnasrin Awasim Syria Mesopotamia Diarbecr Diarebia Mausil Habeb Aiat Chabur Karkisia Tecrit the Region of Tigris Mecca and Medina Aliaman Hadramat Iamam Bahrain Sindia and adioyning thereto Ahwaz Sacalas Samarra Cufa Maseidan Hazran Siahruzar Comma Casan and Giebel To Mutaz hee assigned Chorasan Tabristan Raija Persia Armenia and Aderbigian the Mints also and his name to be stamped in all Comes To Muaijâ—d hee assigned the Prouinces of Damascus Emessa Iardan and Palaestina A. 238. Abdurrahman King of Spaine died his Son Muhammed succeeded In the yeere 241. and 242. the Romans inuaded and carried away Muslims captiues This yeere were terrible Earthquakes which oppressed forty fiue thousand men most of them in Damijs In Persia also Chorasan and Syria Earthquakes and vnusuall sounds happened and in Aliaman with great destruction An. 245. also were terrible Earthquakes and the Springs of Mecca failed so that a bottle of water was sold for a hundred Staters Many were oppressed with an Earthquake at Antiochia and fifteene hundred houses and ninetie
the History a learned and mightie Prince God haue mercy on him An. 311. Abutaher the Caramite Sonne of Abusaid grew powerfull and professed to know secrets Hee assaulted Basra with 107000. men tooke it slue all the Townesmen burned the Temple enioyed the spoyles An. 312. hee set on the Pilgrimes as they returned in Nahar and ouerthrew them in a great battell taking their Generall Abulhigia Gouernour of Mausil Diarreb Dainawar and Giebal with the goods and most of the women and children leauing the rest without prouision so that most of them dyed with thirst and wandering Hee was then nineteene yeeres old and got a Million of Gold and baggage worth as much more He set Abuhigia free and many Captiues and sent to Muctadir to giue him Basra and Ahwaz which he refused but honoured and vested his Messenger An. 313. Abutaher tooke Cufa slue and captiued the Inhabitants He tooke there foure thousand coloured clothes and three thousand Camels with innumerable spoyles An. 314. the Romans tooke Malatia An. 315. the Dailamites began to be of note whose first King was Wahsihudan whose Seate was Staristan His Sonne Hasan succeeded Hee warred with Husein the Fatimite surnamed Nasirulhac but Ali brother of Hasan slue him and was slaine himselfe by Muhammed father in law to Hasan and chased his Sonne Mahadi which succeeded him This Muhammed became King of the Dailams Mahadi fled to Asfar who hauing taken Razwin and Georgian sent Mardawig his Generall against Muhammed who counselled him to get into his hands the Kingdome of Asfar his Master which he did possessing the Dominions of Raija Karwin Abhar Giorgian and Tabristan Then went Mardawig to Hamadan took it slue the men rauished the women Muctadir sent Haron with an army against him An. 319. which Mardawig put to flight and then possessed Isfahan After this Mahcan and Mardawig warred on each other and Ali Abulhasen Amadudaulas Sonne of Boia was one of Mahcans Souldier These warres continued An. 321. and 322. and Mardawig got the better and tooke Amida and Tabristan Amadudaulas left Mahcan and serued Mardawig who set him ouer Margia where being setled he arose against Mardawig tooke Isfahan with a great Army and after that Argian and all Persia Muctadir sent Ioseph against Abutaher the Caramite but Ioseph was taken and his forces broken He sent another Army which returned without doing any thing They were afraid at Bagdad lest hee should haue comne thither and for ioy of his returning Muctadir his mother and Ali his Counsellour gaue God thankes and distributed fifty thousand pieces of Gold to the poore An. 316. the Caramite tooke Rahab and forced Karkisia to buy their peace He built a house at Hagiara and increased in strength An. 317. Muctadir was deposed and Kahir Billa succeeded by the meanes of Maunas Generall of his forces which tooke Muctadir and imprisoned him and caused him to resigne The Souldiers tooke from his mother 600000. pieces of Gold But the Souldiers soone after mutined and slue Baruc the Captaine of the Guard made the Sonne of Mucla the Counsellor runne away and Muctadir repossessed his place His brother Cahir he kissed betwixt the eyes saying there is no fault in thee and Cahir answered God God is in my soule O Emperour of the faithfull Muctadir sware he would not hurt him Abutahar this yeere assaulted Mecca and slue the Pilgrimes in the Temple on the eight of Dulhiggia plucked vp the blacke stone and the couer of the Well Zemzem and wasted the Temple He carried the blacke stone to his Citie which remayned with them twelue yeeres lacking one day and was rendred An. 339. Iahcam had offered for it fiue thousand pieces of Gold which thye refused An. 320. Muctadir was slaine by Maunas in battell hauing reigned foure and twenty yeeres eleuen moneths and fourteene dayes Hee was much giuen to fasting and almes but much ruled by women one of whom Iamec would sit in iudgement None had enioyed the place so long In his time ceassed the Pilgrimage when the blacke stone was carried away He is said to haue giuen away aboue seuenty Millions of Gold He gaue also to the men the Iewels of the Chalifate and the treasures which his Ancestors neuer thought to giue and most of the Gemmes to women oyntment also and Ciuet A.M. 6424. and sixty foure dayes being past Hee forbade to take tribute of Bishops Monkes and poore men whom the author of the vocation had freed An. 314. the Emperour with a thousand ships intended to inuade Egypt but by tempest three hundred were lost and the rest returned An. 317. such a multitude of Locusts came into Egypt that the Sun-beames could not come at the ground and they consumed Vines Fruits and Corne Muhammed Abulmansor Kahir Billa was the fortieth Chalifa and the nineteenth of the Abbasides created after his brothers death at Bagdad Hee tortured Muctadirs mother for her money hanging her by the heeles her vrine running ouer her bodie and she denying knowledge of more money after which shee dyed Anno 322. hee was deposed hauing reigned one yeere sixe moneths and seuen dayes and Ahmed Sonne of Muctadir was created which remayned in the Imperiall Tower till Mutaki cast him forth A. 333. after which on a Friday in the Temple he begged almes saying I was sometimes your Chalifa now I am one of your poore Ahmed Abulabbas Arradi Billa was the twentieth of the Abbasides Anno 322. dyed Abdalla Abu-Muhammed Mahadi which reigned at Cairawan hauing ruled foure and twenty yeeres three moneths and sixe dayes Caijm his Sonne succeeded Boia was a poore fisherman some say descended from Ardsijr King of Persia From Adam to him were a hundred Generations He had three Sonnes Ali Abulhasen Hasen Abuali and Ahmed Abulhasen which serued the Souldiers We haue before shewed how Ali Abulhasen Amaduddaulas serued Mardawig tooke Isfahan and Hamadan He tooke Cazerun and increased in power After that Letters came from Cahir wherein he offered to Mardawig Raija Narcab Zangion and Abhar on condition to leaue Isfahan from which Wasmakin brother of Mardawig had driuen Amaduddaulas which he accepted but hearing of Cahirs deposition detayned it still Anno 323. Mardawig was slaine by his Seruants in the Bath and so God deliuered the Muslims from Mardawig a man vniust bold and addicted they say to Paganisme Abutaher the same yeere spoyled the Pilgrimes The same yeere Hasen Abu-Muhammed Nasiraddaulas Sonne of Abdalla gaue to his brother Ali Abulhasen Saifuddaulas Maijafarikin Diarbecr Abubecr subdued Egypt and possessed it together with Syria An. 324. Aradi made Muhammed Sonne of Raijc his Counsellor and Emperour of Emperours and committed to him the administration of the Kingdome and commanded him to preach in his steed in the Pulpit and gaue him a banner From that time the dignitie of a Counsellour grew out of vse at Bagdad and continued but a name the power remayning with the Emperour or Commander An. 325. There were many Princes