barren before though not very fruitful after Marriage For many years the English frequenting these Coasts made little benefit thereby for the Inhabitants grew so subtil that perceiving their Gold was so earnestly desired by all Nations they began to know its true value and set such a rate thereon that having been formerly often beguiled by others they grew more wary and circumspect in their bargaining and to look more narrowly to the measure and goodness of their Commodities and though at first they knew no distinction of Christians but thought the Portugals and all other white men to be of the same Nation yet they have since learned the particular manners and dealing of each Countrey and have found the fairest and squarest Trade from the English who are therefore most welcome to them and speed best of any other Nation whatsoever Especially since his late Majesties happy Restauration by whose gracious favour the Traders into these parts were Incorporated and by their Charter dated Jan. 20. 1662. are intituled the Company of Royal Adventurers of England Trading into Africa or the Guinea Company The Limits of their Trade being from Sally in South Barbary to Cape de bona Esperanza or the Cape of Good Hope within which Limits all English Ships are prohibited to Trade unless Authorized by them The Commodities exported by this Royal Company to Africa are Iron Copper Slesias Sheets Says Perpetuana's Cowries Welch Plains Manillos Boysades Chints Rombergers Coral Callico's Nicanies Clouts Amber Powder Muskets Batteries of all forts Turkey Carpets Brandy Strong Waters Spirits Gingharus Taffeties Beads of all sorts Buckshaws Knives and Sheaths Swords Tallow c. For which they import from thence to England Gold Elephants Teeth Hides Malagueta or Ginny Pepper Red Wood Ambergreece with several other good Commodities besides numbers of Negroes for supplying his Majesties American Plantations to their great advantage They have likewise divers Forts and Factories established upon those Coasts for the security and defence of their Merchandize and Commerce in Africa for the names of some of which I must be obliged to a Gentleman who has lately travelled thither of which I shall give a brief account and touch upon the manners of the Natives and other observables as I pass along The first place he mentions is Gambo where the English have a Fort with eight pieces of Cannon and the Government worth about two Thousand Pound a year It is Scituate near Cape Verde so called from its continual greenness which makes it a most delectable place being a Promontory which throws it self into the Sea covered with green Trees and causing a very beautiful Prospect by reason of their evenness seeming as if planted by a line we have already described the Natives only may add that they have generally small Bellies long Legs broad Feet long Toes sharp Sight quick Wits are Envious curiously Neat Thieves Letcherous subject to the Pox of which as well as their Pudenda they are not the least ashamed yet hold breaking wind backward a great incivility and wondred at the Hollanders for offering them such contempt Lastly they have Stomachs like Estridges as appears by their strange and usual repasts of which I shall next give an account When they go to Market they wash from Head to Foot and put on other Cloths They buy only for one day Their Bread is made by stamping their Millet as we do Spice in a woodden dish steeping it over night with a little Maiz and in the morning laying it on a stone they grind it with another stone as Painters do their Colours till it be dough which they then temper with fresh Water and Salt and make Rolls thereof twice so big as a mans Fist baking them a little on the Hearth and then eat it Their Viands are raw flesh handfuls of Corn large draughts of Aqua Vitae Dogs Catts Buffles Elephants though stinking like Carrion and a thousand Magots crawling on them They have little Birds like Bullfinches which hang their Nests on the small ends of branches of Trees for fear of Snakes these they eat alive Feathers and all The Negro's say that up in the Countrey they eat dried Snakes and the guts of Dogs raw which our Author hath seen and a Boy who was left on Ship-board in pawn for Money would privately kill the Hens that he might eat the raw Guts They likewise eat raw stinking Fish dried in the Sun yet can dispence with dainties when they have them They make a kind of Ale of Mays and Water boyl'd together and putting it into a Vessel as large as a Kilderkin four or five place themselves round and drink it off each sending a little Pot full to his best beloved Wife They lay their hands upon the Head of him that drinks and cry aloud Tautosi Tautosi He must not drink off all but leaves a little to throw on the ground to his Fetisso saying I ou spouting out some on the Arms and Legs of their Fetisso's supposing that otherwise they should not drink in quiet They are great drinkers and feed as unmannerly as Swine sitting on the ground and cramming it in not swallowing one Morsel after another but tear their meat to pieces and throw it into their Mouths which stand gaping to receive it they are always hungry and would eat all day long Yea the Europeans have great Appetites while they are there He that gets most drinks most of their strong Liquors for they lay up but little The next place belonging to the English on these Coasts is in the River of Sierra Leona where our Author says an Englishman dwelt a long time in one of the Isles having a fair House guarded with four pieces of Cannon and was well beloved and protected by the Kings of that Countrey In the first War with Holland 1666. our Author being aboard a Dutch Man of War this English Factor writ to them divers times to desire he might come and Trade with them they told him he might do it with safety and upon their Parole the Englishman called Abraham came aboard them in his Shallop rowed by three Slaves accompanied by a Hollander and two others which belonged to him and was kindly treated but afterward the Captain contrary to the advice of the rest treacherously made him a Prisoner and the three Moores with him to their great surprizal And Jan. 1. 1667. their great Shallop was manned out with thirty Men and one Piece of Ordnance to Besiege and plunder his House which was built of Brick and Freestone defended with four great Guns incompassed with a fair Wood of Palm-trees which supplied him with Wine On one side were about twenty Cabines for the Natives and on the other a Spring of good Water it being the most beautiful Island upon the River Being about to land they discovered 200 Moores got together about the House with Firelocks and a greater number farther up in the Woods which obliged the Hollanders to make a show of going up higher
to remain in the next Town till all be made ready which is requisite in the Kings Town There he is received with great Triumphs which consist in exercising with Bows Arrows Lances and Shields as if they were fighting against Enemies with great Drummings and Songs of War The Sport ended the King retires to the Council-House where after a little stay inquiry is made if the King may be saluted whereupon having permission the Ambassador enters and kneeling down with his back to the King and his Bow in his hand bent to the utmost he allusively implys that he will set himself to the utmost against his Enemies Mean time the Ambassadors followers chant forth his praises as before the Kings Servants sung Elogiums to his Honour These Encomiums they always begin with Polo Polo Sammach and then add His handy-work is not to be equalled by another man and then I will stick as close as Pitch to him that opposes me The Council-House is open on all sides with great Attendance round about where he receives this first Address After which the Ambassador desires leave to relate his Embassy but is put off till next day so retiring he diverts himself till the appointed time in Feasts and Sportive Recreations The Ambassador receives Answer by the Kings directions from an Interpreter and then is shewed the Apartment for him and his Retinue where the Kings Slaves bring them Water to wash and the Kings Women being very neatly drest in Dishes set on their heads bring Rice and Flesh after which the King sends for his Welcom Wine and other Presents as a Kettle Bason or the like If any European Merchant bring the King a Present he is invited to eat with him but with no Black of what Quality soever will he eat out of the same Dish but sends their Meat to them by his Women Once a year he makes a Great Feast for the Common People buying up for that purpose all the Palm Wine and Herds of Cattel the Heads of which are painted and hung up in the Kings Chamber in testimony of his Bounty He inviteth also his Neighbour Kings Caprains and Gentlemen and then prays and sacrifices to his Fetisso which is the highest Tree in the Town The King comes little abroad morning and evening his Slaves blow Trumpets made of Elephansts Teeth while his Wives anoint and wash his Body He sits in state holding in his hand the Tail of an Horse to drive away Flyes being gallantly adorned with Rings of Gold on his Arms Neck and Leggs and Coral Beads where with he sets off his Beard The Kings Children must maintain themselves when of Age the People not liking to maintain them idle the King only bestows on them a Marriage-Gift and a Slave when he dies his eldest Brother succeeds in the Throne and enjoys his Rice Fields Slaves and Women These People believe that the Almighty whom they call Kanuo will punish all their misdeeds and reward well-doers and therefore when oppressed call for his Aid to do them Justice continually inculcating That there shall a time come when all ill men shall receive their deserts They imagin that their Friends after death become Spirits whom they call Jannanen and know all Transactions here below with whom therefore they hold familiar Colloquies acquainting them with all their troubles and adversities When they go into the Woods to hunt Elephants Buffles or any other dangerous Enterprize they go first and offer to the Spirit of their deceased Parents either a Cow Wine or Rice which they leave on the Grave They suppose them to reside in the Woods to whom therefore they address themselves with great complaints and lamentations when in affliction where likewise there most Solemn Acts of Devotion are performed when no Women nor Children are permited to come The King calls upon the Souls of his Father and Mother almost in every matter of difficulty If a Woman be suspected of Adultery the complaining Husband desires his Wife may be delivered up to Jannanen or the Spirits of his Ancestors and brings her in the Evening before the Council Assembled to that purpose where after there calling the Spirits to her she is blindfolded admonished to forsake her evil Life and not to go to any but her own Husband and prosently a great noise or murmur is raised as if Spirits did appear with some unintelligible though articulate sounds which are interpreted abloud to the whole Congregation with threathings that if ever she commit the like offence again she shall be punished according to her demerits and together with her Paramour shall be carried away by Jannanen to whom yet none are delivered up but upon clear evidence of their Guilt to which end they have a Water of Cursing or Divination wherewith they extort the Truth in all doubtful matters compounded of Barks and Herbs boiled together which when it is enough the Priest repeats secretly the names of the suspected persons or other matters to which the Witchcraft must be applied and then washes the Legs and Arms of those accused with fair Water after this he puts his Divining Staff which is bruised and tufted at the end into the Pot and drops or presseth the Water out of it upon the Arm of Leg of the suspected Person muttering these words over it If he be guilty of this or that then let this Water scald or burn him till the very Skin come off If the Party remain unhurt they judge him innocent and proceed to the Trial of another till they have discovered the Criminal who being found the Executioner instantly leads him bound and blindfold into an open Field or Wood and placing him on his Knees with his Head bowed down he first runs him through the Body with a Scimetar and then chops off his Head with an Ax for they do not believe he is dead till his Head is off The Carcase cut into four quarters after great lamentations they leave in the Feild as a Prey to the Beasts and Fowls but the Friends take away the Head as a great Present and boiling it in a Kettle drink up the Broth hanging the Scull by their Fetisso or Idol The like Trial is also made of other offences among the Blacks so that every one had need be very careful to prevent suspicion Some years since Mendino the King of Manou died whose Subjects and Favourites made strict inquiry according to Custom how he came by his end but the narrowest of their serutinies not being able to make any discovery they were forced to acquiesce yet had such an inveterate hatred against Manimassah Brother of the deceased Mendino that they forced him to the Trial which seeing no other Remedy he underwent without any hurt as a remarkable sign of his Innocence whereupon he demanded to be restored to his former Honour and Credit but instead thereof the Tryers told him The King in his Life time was our Common Father and should not we after his death endeavour to find
Sister immediately followed the Murtherer to Ispahan and demanded Justice of the King with that eagerness that though the King had an inclination to save the Favourite for the Governors Sake he was forced to abandon him and bid them pay themselves with his bloud Immediately he was carried to Execution where the Widdow first stab'd him to the heart with a dagger then the Mother took her turn and after that the Sister and then holding a Cup to receive his Blood drank every one a Cup full to quench the thirst of their Revenge Above all things extraordinary care is taken for securing the high ways for which purpose Guards are set at convenient distances As the Caravan was one day setting out from Tauris to Ispahan a poor Fellow took an occasion to rob a Cloak-Bag and fled cross the Feilds not knowing the way the Merchant missing his Goods complain'd to the Governor who having sought for him in vain sent order to the Guards to search strictly for him and send him as soon as seized In a short time the Thief was constrained to forsake his Cloak-bag and came cross the Fields for Water who being seized was carried to the Governor and soon convicted and condemned to Death for Thieves find no mercy in Persia Only they are variously put to death being sometimes tyed to a Camels tayl by the feet and their Bellies ript open Sometimes they are buried alive all but their Heads and starved to Death in which torment they will oft desire Passengers to cut off their Heads though it be a kindness forbidden by the Law But the most cruel punishment of all is when they set the Thief on Horse back with his extended Arms fastned to a long stick behind then larding him with lighted Candels they suffer them to burn him to the very Bowels We met two in this misery who desired us to hasten their Deaths which we durst not do only we gave them a Pipe of Tobacco according to their desire One day there was a great Hubbub in a Bawdy-House where the Woman had prostituted her own Daughter the King informed of it commanded the Mother to be thrown Head-long from a Tower and that the Daughter should be torn in Peices by his Dogs which he keeps on purpose for such Chastizements Having given some Account of Persia let us next advance into the Dominions of the Great Mogol and visit the Bay of Cambaia and therein Swalley Rond on the Banks whereof amongst many more English lies interred the Body of Mr. Thomas Coryat a man in his time sufficiently known He formerly Writ a Book intituled Coriats Crudities hastily Gobled up in five Months Travels in France Savoy Italy Rhâ—tia Helvetia or Switzerland some parts of High Germany and the Netherlands newly digested in the hungry Air of Odcomb in the County of Somerset Printed in 1611. and then ushered into the World by very many Copies of Excellent Verses made by the Wits of those times which did very much advantage and improve if not inforce the Sale thereof doing themselves much more honour than him whom they undertook to commend in their several Encomiasticks though he had not the apprehension to think so I will give you a tast in a few short ones whereby you may guess at the rest I Sing the Man I sing the Woful Case The Shirt the Shoes the Shanks that served to trace Seven Countreys wide the greater was his pain That two to one he ever came again Yet two for one he came O Muse O Maid If Muse or Maid say what hath so beraid This Silly Soul and drove him to such labours As if his Hide were only made for Tabors Recount my Girl what he did with the French Before he courted the Venetian Wench At home much did he suffer much abroad Yet never strove poor Ass to cast his load Yet on his parboiled Crudities behoof This will I say It is a Book of proof Wherein himself appears to all most plain No Fool in Print nor yet a Knave in grain ANOTHER Some write Lascivious Books others they write Holy But Coryats is a Pill against all Melancholy A worthy work that doth all other works out-pace A Furlong at the least thou needst not bate an ace A Book of price t will be if ever there were any A hundred Souses is thy due thou shalt not bate a penny Thou tell'st of Mounts of Founts of Rocks of Stones Of Boots of Whores of Tombs of dead mens bones Of Bowers of Towers and many a stately Steeple Helvetians Rhetians and such uncouth people Nothing escapes thy Note that 's worth due observation The Gallows cannot pass thee without just Salutation Speak thou O Clock of Strasburg Stones at Fontainbleiu If Coriat do's forget and not your wonders shew Weep Rhenish drops O Palsgraves Tun if thou be here forgotten No No he hath thee hoop't so well thy Ribs will nere be rotten Then lanch thee forth thou Man of might when this thy work is done And prosecute thy great design as far as shines the Sun ANOTHER OF all the Toms that ever yet were nam'd Never was Tom like to Tom Coriat fam'd Tom Thumb is dumb untill the Pudding creep Wherein he was intomb'd then out doth peep Tom Piper is gone out and mirth bewails He never will come in to tell us tales Tom Fool may go to School but ne're be taught Speak Greek with which our Tom his Tongue is fraught Tom Ass may pass but for all his long ears He has no such rich Jewel as our Tom wears Tom Tell troth is froth and the truth to tell Of all Toms this Tom away bears the bell Another IF the Author had a painted Coat And Cap of Costly die And Comb of Cock for Crest thereon With Whetstone hanging by Then might he tell of Travellers And all the huffiing Train Who proudly prance on Asses backs T'wixt Italy and Spain For Thomas is by Travel try'd And truth of him to tell There 's few that Travel now-a-days Return home half so well Then buy this Book ye Brittains bold But read it at your leasure For It and He and He and It Were made to shew you pleasure If Coryat had lived he designed to have Writ his last Travels to in and out of East-India for he resolved like another Ulysses to have rambled up and down the World at least ten yers before his return home purposing to see Tartary in all the vast parts thereof with as much as he could of China and after that to have visited the Court of Prester John in Ethiopia who is there called by his own people Ho Biot The King with many other places which if he had lived to perform and publish might have been of good use since he was both a particular and faithful Relator of what he saw ever disclaiming that bold Liberty which many Travellers assume in Speaking and Writing what they please of remote parts where they cannot be easily contradicted resolving